Code Section 1122, published by FindLaw.com, involves "the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought." "First degree" murder is perpetrated any number of specific situations, to wit: .

             "Every murder perpetrated by poison, lying in wait, or any other kind of willful, deliberate, malicious and premeditated killing; or committed in the perpetration of, or attempt to perpetrate, any arson, escape, murder, kidnapping, treason, espionage, sabotage, aggravated sexual abuse or sexual design unlawfully and maliciously to effect the death of any human being other than him who is killed, is murder in the first degree.".

             And those found guilty (by a jury of their peers) of "murder in the first degree" shall be punished "by death or by imprisonment for life." Those found guilty of murder in the second degree, the U.S. Code continues, "shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.".

             Homicide, according to the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) is the "killing of another human being by one or more persons." There are several categories of homicide - Negligent, Culpable, and Justifiable homicide. Negligent homicide is a charge which is brought against someone, who, "by inaction," allowed "others under their care to die." Many times this offense involves the death of small infants or children, "the handicapped, or the elderly." .

             An example of negligent homicide would be if an elderly bedridden person accumulates terrible bedsores as a result of not being properly cared for. These sores get worse, until they reach a critical point of infection, and the elderly person dies. The person charged with the responsibility for giving health care to that person may be found "liable of negligent homicide," Wikipedia reports. That said, negligent homicide "generally only applies if a pattern of negligence can be proved in a court of law; for example, "turning your back on a child while he falls into a well," the article continues, "while tragic, and a result of a moment of negligence.