People v. Watson
Supreme Court of California
637 P.2d. 279 (1981)
Relevant factsFree
Robert Watson (defendant), intoxicated at more than twice the legal limit, sped through a red light at roughly 84 miles per hour narrowly missing one car before crashing into another at about 70 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone, killing a woman and her six-year-old daughter. The trial court dismissed second-degree murder charges against him, leaving only vehicular manslaughter counts, and the state appealed.
IssueFree
Whether a vehicular killing can amount to murder when the facts support a finding of implied malice, rather than mere gross negligence.