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LEGAL ENGLISH · LEGAL ISSUES · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

MANSLAUGHTER

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1 Warm up

Discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

1. What is the difference between manslaughter and murder?

2. Are you aware of any famous manslaughter cases?
3. What factors might be taken into consideration in a manslaughter trial?

2 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Match the words with the correct definitions.

Group 1:

1. involuntary (adj.) a. almost out of control because of extreme emotion

2. prop (n) b. not done by a choice

3. armourer (n) c. able to explode

4. frantic (adj.) d. an object used by the actors performing in a play or film

5. live (adj.) e. a person who is in charge of weapons

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Group 2:

1. trigger (n) a. a small gun that is held in and fired from one hand

2. pistol (n) b. the act of doing something that is different from the usual or
common way of behaving
3. reckless (adj.) c. the part of a gun that causes a gun to fire when pressed

4. deviation (n) d. doing something dangerous and not worrying about the risks
and the possible results
5. protocol (n) e. a system of rules and acceptable behaviour

Part B: Now complete the sentences with appropriate words from Part A.

Group 1:

1. The was responsible for maintaining the safety of the firearms used
by the security team.

2. The victim’s family called the police in a state after they did not
return home.

3. The suspect was arrested for possession of explosives without a

permit.

4. The claimant says the film company’s unsafe caused their injury
and they are therefore seeking damages.

5. The suspect’s confession was deemed and was therefore inadmissible

in court.

Group 2:

1. The defendant’s behaviour while driving resulted in a collision, for

which they are being charged.

2. The company’s for handling harassment complaints was not followed,

resulting in a lawsuit.

3. The officer claimed that he accidentally pulled the , but the forensic
evidence suggested otherwise.

4. The defendant was found guilty of carrying a concealed without

a permit.

5. The doctor’s failure to follow the rules constituted a from the standard
of care.

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3 Listening: understanding the main idea

You are going to watch a news report about the actor Alec Baldwin being charged with involuntary
manslaughter. While watching decide if the following statements are true (T), false (F), or not given
(NG).

1. Gutierrez-Reed was charged with manslaughter after she fired a prop gun.

2. It is typical for live ammunition to be used in action films.

3. Baldwin claims he did not fire the gun.

4. The film production company has had a lot of legal problems over the years.

5. Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin are facing the same charge.

6. Prosecutors believe that Gutierrez-Reed did not deal with safety complaints on set enough.

4 Talking point

In pairs discuss the following questions.

1. Who do you think is responsible in this case?

2. Do you think that the fact that a victim has a young family should be taken into account?
3. What legal protocols could be introduced to avoid incidents like this from happening again?

5 Reading for general information

You are going to read a text about a man being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence
following the death of his 16-year-old daughter (page four). Scan the text quickly and match the
headings with the correct paragraph.

• Victim found in horrific circumstances

• Jurors given instructions
• First-of-its-kind prosecution
• Defendant blames his own laziness
• Defendant changes his story

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Guilty verdict for man accused of manslaughter by gross

negligence
Obese 16-year-old victim died in "horrific circumstances"

1. in "truly horrific circumstances". Her toenails, which

she could not reach, had not been cut for at least
A man has been found guilty of killing his disabled
six months and her armpits were black. She weighed
daughter by allowing her to become fatally obese.
146kg, despite only being 1.45 metres tall.
Alun Titford, 45, was convicted by a jury of
manslaughter by gross negligence after the death of 4.
his 16-year-old daughter, Kaylea. It is believed to be
Giving evidence during his three-week trial, Titford
the first prosecution of its kind in the UK in which
admitted he had failed Kaylea and bore joint
parents have been charged with killing their child by
responsibility for her care, but said he was not guilty
not controlling their diet. By the time of her death
of killing her. He told police he withdrew from looking
on the 9th or 10th of October, 2020, Kaylea was
after her because "she was female and I wasn’t
"living in conditions unfit for any animal, let alone a
comfortable with that". Under oath, he repeatedly
vulnerable 16-year-old girl who depended entirely on
blamed his own laziness for not helping to care for
others for her care", Mold Crown Court heard.
Kaylea or to encourage her to eat a healthy diet. His
2. barrister sought to suggest that because he worked
long hours as a removals man, he was simply unaware
Kaylea was born with hydrocephalus, also known as
of the deterioration in his daughter’s health. The jury
water on the brain, and spina bifida, which meant
heard that Kaylea sent her last message on Facebook
she was unable to use her legs. Before the first
at 8.12 pm on the 9th of October and that her phone
Covid lockdown in March 2020, Kaylea was a pupil
was locked for the final time 10 seconds later. Two
at Newtown High School. Her health deteriorated
hours later her father sent her a message telling her
over the next seven months as she was away from
to stop screaming.
the scrutiny of the outside world, and she never
returned to school. After his arrest, Titford told 5.
police he did not think Kaylea had got out of bed
Her mother, Sarah Lloyd-Jones, pleaded guilty to
since the lockdown had begun. But giving evidence,
manslaughter in December. Before the jury was
he changed his story, saying that Kaylea remained
sent out to deliberate, Mr Justice Martin Alexander
mobile until shortly before her death, able to get out
Griffiths gave legal directions. He said: "The fact
of bed and around the ground floor of their home in
Sarah Lloyd-Jones has pleaded guilty doesn’t mean
her wheelchair.
Alun Titford is guilty or is more likely to be guilty of
3. the offences charged against him. You must consider
the case against the defendant entirely on its own
He said he last went into her bedroom a fortnight
merits." He also advised that any breach of duty by
before she died, to give her a kiss for her 16th
Titford had to be considered "truly exceptionally bad"
birthday. He insisted he had not noticed anything
to be regarded as manslaughter. The couple will be
untoward, such as a bad smell. The jury heard that
sentenced at a later date.
emergency service workers called after her death had
retched at the smell in her bedroom. She was found Sources: News Sky, Daily Post, The Guardian

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6 Scanning for vocabulary

Scan the text quickly and find expressions or phrases which mean the same as the following.

Group 1:

1. (phrase, para. 1): the total lack of care and disregard for the safety of others

2. (n, para. 1): the process of officially accusing someone in a court of law of
committing a crime
3. (adj, para. 1): able to be easily physically or mentally hurt, influenced, or
attacked
4. (v, para. 2): become worse

5. (n, para. 2): the careful and detailed examination of something in order to get
information about it
6. (adj, para. 3): unexpected and not convenient or unpleasant

Group 2:

1. (v, para. 3): react in a way as if you are vomiting

2. (phrase, para. 4): a shared duty

3. (idiom, para. 4): having legally promised to tell the truth

4. (v, para. 5): think or talk seriously and carefully about something

5. (idiom, para. 5): evaluate something by its own achievements and

accomplishments

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7 Reading comprehension

Read the text again in more detail, then answer the multiple-choice questions below.

Group 1:

1. What was Alun Titford charged with?

a. Murder by discretionary intent.

b. Manslaughter by gross negligence.

c. Child neglect.

d. Child abuse.

2. What did Alun Titford tell police when he was first arrested?

a. He did not think Kaylea had got out of bed since lockdown.

b. He did not know what happened to Kaylea.

c. He was not present when Kaylea died.

d. He did not care about Kaylea’s well-being.

3. What did emergency service workers report after Kaylea’s death?

a. The whole house was in terrible condition.

b. Kaylea had been physically abused.

c. The smell in Kaylea’s bedroom was unbearable.

d. The family had a history of neglect.

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Group 2:

1. What was the defence’s argument during the trial?

a. He was not aware of his daughter’s health condition.

b. He was too busy working to notice his daughter’s health deteriorating.

c. He was not comfortable taking care of his daughter because she was female.

d. He was not guilty of killing his daughter.

2. What did Mr Justice Martin Alexander Griffiths advise the jury to consider?

a. Alun Titford’s long working hours.

b. He was too busy working to notice his daughter’s health deteriorating.

c. How bad Alun Titford’s breach of duty was.

d. Alun Titford’s physical and mental health.

3. What was Sarah Lloyd-Jones charged with?

a. Child neglect

b. Child abuse

c. Murder

d. Manslaughter

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8 Language point: participle clauses

Part A: Look at the box below.

• Participial clauses offer a more concise means of conveying information. They are
constructed using present participles (running, cooking etc.), past participles (baked,
sung, etc.), or perfect participles (having run, having baked, etc.).
• When the subject of the participle and the main clause is identical, a participle clause can
be used. Look at this example from the third paragraph of the text:

Giving evidence during his three-week trial, Titford admitted he had failed Kaylea and
bore joint responsibility for her care, but said he was not guilty of killing her.

This is equivalent to saying:

While Titford was giving evidence during his three-week trial, he admitted to failing
Kaylea and sharing responsibility for her care, but he claimed that he did not kill her.

• Participial clauses are typically used in formal texts, so they can be employed in essays,
reports, and proposals in the C1 writing exam.
• To form present participle clauses, add -ing to the base form of the verb. The present
participle clause can function as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. It can also
function as an adverb, modifying a verb or adjective. For example:

Walking down the street, I witnessed a crime.

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Part B: Now, rewrite the following sentences so that they include present participle clauses like the
one in the text.

1. As the lawyer presented her case to the judge, she made a compelling argument.

2. The defendant entered the courtroom and took a seat next to his barrister.

3. The prosecutor outlined the charges against the accused and called several witnesses to testify.

4. While the judge reviewed the evidence, he made a ruling in the case.

5. The witness answered the lawyer’s questions and kept his composure

6. The defence barrister cross-examined the witness and asked some difficult questions.

7. The claimant presented evidence to support his claim and made a closing argument.

8. The judge interrupted the defendant and asked a question.

9 Optional extension/homework

Write an opinion essay on one of the topics below. Your essay should agree or disagree with the
statement and contain at least five words from the new vocabulary in this lesson. Give examples to
support your ideas.

"Manslaughter allows people responsible for killing someone a way of receiving

a reduced sentence. This means there is less of a deterrent for people to avoid
making the same mistake."

"Deaths that are caused by accident should not be punished in the same way
as murder. The charge of manslaughter is necessary to make this distinction."

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