When you kill someone, it can be either culpable or not culpable. You commit culpable homicide when you kill someone by doing something unlawful. This can happen in different ways, such as by doing an unlawful act, or by not doing something you are supposed to do.

If you kill someone by threatening or deceiving them into doing something that causes their death, this is also culpable homicide. You can also commit culpable homicide by wilfully frightening a child under 16 or a sick person. Culpable homicide is either murder or manslaughter, except as provided in section 178.

If homicide is not culpable, it is not against the law. This means you will not get in trouble for it. Homicide that is not culpable is different from culpable homicide, which can be punished.