Voluntary manslaughter is the intentional killing of a person that was not planned in advance. In order to qualify as voluntary manslaughter, there must be no intent to kill and the crime must take place in the heat of the moment.
A crime of passion is a typical reason for a person receiving a voluntary manslaughter charge.
Voluntary manslaughter charges are a lesser offense than first-degree murder, and will garner a lesser sentence. The harshness of a sentence will revolve around whether the intent to kill was present. Intent to kill is why premeditated murder charges are more severe than voluntary manslaughter charges.