In reply to MG:
I would think you would have to have the intent to kill, or the intent to commit violence that could reasonably be expected to kill that person based on your knowledge of the person.
Edit: or cause them serious injury (as others have said), I guess because there is a reasonable expectation that that might kill.
So for two examples, you know a person who has a brain condition that means a shock to the head might kill them (I have heard of this in the past). You punch them in the head, they die. That would I think be murder.
On the other hand, you meet that person in the street and know nothing of their condition. You punch them, they die. You didn't know that would happen, as it wouldn't happen to anyone without that condition based on how hard / where you hit them. That's manslaughter - you caused death without intending to do so.
I had to keep telling myself something similar when I broke my finger a while ago, and felt like lamping anyone who banged into me on the Tube and caused me pain (with the other hand, obviously
)...no, not whether I should kill them, but that I can't blame them because they have no idea I am injured, and banging into someone like that normally wouldn't cause pain, so that would be a rather unreasonable response.
Neil
Post edited at 13:19