A Specific Intent to Kill
I was a 7th grader in Bryan, Texas when I learned a fellow classmate had been killed by a drunk driver. I didn't know the boy who was killed personally, but I had seen him around school for years. A female student at A&M had been celebrating the end of finals by drinking all afternoon when she collided with him and his bicycle. When I read in the newspaper that the driver had been charged with Intoxicated Manslaughter, I was one indignant 7th grader. It sure seemed like murder to me. I didn't like to hear the word "accident," since it was no accident that she had gotten drunk and killed a kid. I was 12 years old back then, so I suppose I can be excused for not understanding the criminal charging process and how critical the levels of intent are when making those types of decision. In law school, aspiring lawyers are taught the main levels of intent are Intentionally, Knowingly, Recklessly, and Negligently. The type of crime a person is charged with is o