How Many Years Can You Get for First-Degree Manslaughter in New York?
In seven completed New York City first-degree manslaughter cases reviewed for this guide, observed determinate prison terms ranged from 14 to 25 years. The sample contains guilty pleas and different factual settings, so it is not a citywide average.
Quick Answer
- Cases reviewed: 7 completed cases
- Lowest observed term: 14 years
- Highest observed term: 25 years
- Locations: Brooklyn and Queens
- Classification: Class B violent felony
See the New York hub, compare second-degree murder outcomes, and review our methodology.
What Is First-Degree Manslaughter?
New York Penal Law §125.20 defines several forms of first-degree manslaughter, including causing death while intending serious physical injury and causing death under certain extreme-emotional-disturbance circumstances. The precise subsection matters. The offense is a class B violent felony.
Statutory Sentence
For a first-time violent felony offender, Penal Law §70.02 generally provides a determinate prison term of 5 to 25 years for a class B violent felony, plus post-release supervision. Prior convictions and other rules may change that range. The statutory range is distinct from the observed outcomes below.
Observed Case Outcomes
| Case | Conduct and location | Disposition | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korey Johnson | Vehicle used to kill cyclist in Bushwick | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 14 years |
| William Freeman | Fatal Bushwick shooting | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 18 years |
| Nasir Perez | Fatal East Flatbush shooting | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 21 years |
| Dwayne Scott | Fatal Ozone Park shooting | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 21.5 years |
| Kareem Flake | Domestic homicide; victim found in Queens | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 22 years |
| Gifford Hunter | Road-rage shooting in South Richmond Hill | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 23 years |
| Darrien Weekes | Fatal Bedford-Stuyvesant shooting | First-degree manslaughter, guilty plea | 25 years |
Case Details
Korey Johnson: Johnson pleaded guilty after deliberately pursuing and striking a cyclist with a vehicle in Bushwick. He received 14 years. Official source.
William Freeman: Freeman pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of a visitor sitting on a Bushwick stoop and received 18 years plus post-release supervision. Official source.
Nasir Perez: Perez pleaded guilty after shooting two teenagers, one fatally, in East Flatbush and received 21 years. Official source.
Dwayne Scott: Scott pleaded guilty in an Ozone Park shooting and received 21.5 years. Official source.
Kareem Flake: Flake pleaded guilty in the killing of the mother of his children and received 22 years. Official source.
Gifford Hunter: Hunter pleaded guilty in a South Richmond Hill road-rage shooting and received 23 years. Official source.
Darrien Weekes: Weekes pleaded guilty in a Bedford-Stuyvesant shooting and received the 25-year maximum observed in this sample. Official source.
Why Sentences Differ
The statutory subsection, intent, weapon, victim circumstances, plea terms, prior record, and mitigation can affect the result. Post-release supervision is additional to the prison term where imposed.
Methodology
We searched official district-attorney domains and retained completed New York City cases that explicitly identify first-degree manslaughter and a final allocated prison sentence. Aggravated manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, murder, and unallocated aggregate outcomes were excluded.
Sources
Disclaimer
General information only, not legal advice. Sentencing depends on the conviction and individual record.