>>Murder : the unlawful and intentional killing of one human being by another. Fixed Murder can be improvised, as opposed to premeditated, hence the difference between 1st, 2nd degree murder. 3rd degree murder is special manslaughter essentially That being said I've just discovered something funny here, look https://manshoorylaw.com/blog/difference-between-1st-2nd-and-3rd-degree-murders/ >>First Degree Murder **California law defines murder as “unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought“.** First-degree murder is the most serious form of murder, and in California, any murders that are committed with intent and premeditation are classified as a first degree. Oh... We're one inch away from abortion here.... >>Second Degree Murder 2nd-degree murder or second-degree manslaughter is still a very serious crime but is a step down in severity when compared to the 1st degree. In general terms, a 2nd-degree murder is one that doesn’t have any kind of premeditation and may only have been intended to cause harm, rather than death. >>Third-Degree Murder There is no such thing as third-degree murder under California law. California only recognizes three types of murder charges: first degree, second degree, and capital murder. The idea of a third-degree murder charge only exists in three states: Florida, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. >>What Is the Difference Between Third-Degree Murder and Manslaughter? On the face of it, 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter are very similar, but the states in which a third-degree murder charge can apply differentiate between them in different ways. >>For example, in Minnesota, someone must act with disregard for human life and a depraved mind to be charged with 3rd-degree murder, but will only face manslaughter charges if they were aware of the risks to another life but went ahead with their actions anyway, such as vehicular manslaughter or driving under the influence – causing death to another person. ... I don't like the "unlawful" part of the definition of murder... I mean when you get the death penalty while you're innocent... Technically you kind of got lawfully murdered... Since, "my bad, I killed the wrong guy" has never been a valid defense against murder for anyone I prefer "unjustified, deliberate homicide", but that's just me