Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

In a strange case, Los Angeles manslaughter charges have been filed against a homeowner after the ceiling collapsed during a fire, killing a Los Angeles firefighter, the Los Angeles Times is reporting.

The case is bizarre because we all recognize that firefighters have a dangerous job. They must respond to houses where dangerous people be lingering in order to administer medical aid. They are asked to help victims of car accidents on busy highways and freeways, where errant drivers can pose a threat. And, most commonly, they are asked to enter burning buildings to help people and save property.

Yet, in this case, the man who designed and built the house is now being charged with involuntary manslaughter because the ceiling fell in, killing a responding firefighter and injuring five others.

Our Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys understand there is pressure from families and often the public for criminal charges to be filed. But in a situation like this, maybe an accident is simply an accident.

The state must ask whether this sets a bad precedent for other cases in the future if a firefighter dies in the line of duty. Will all builders be liable for unplanned fires that cause structural damage?

In California, involuntary manslaughter is punishable by two, three or four years in prison, according to California Penal Code 193. Some may think of that as a cakewalk for a case where a person died, but you have to think that this is also going to subject a person to hardened criminals and life without freedom.

In this case, firefighters responded to a house fire last January. They fought the blaze as it crept along the attic. Investigators believe it started in the fireplace and spread up the walls and eventually into the ceiling.

Fire investigators found that the house did have a sprinkler system, but that the piping was made of plastic and it melted from exposure to the flames. As the water dumped out, it filled the insulation, which made it heavy.

So, as firefighters were battling the flames, the pressure from the soaked insulation began causing problems with the structure of the house, causing the ceiling to cave in, killing the firefighter.

The Times piece also states that the architect included in his house an 18-foot "fire trough," described as an oversized indoor fire pit, inside the house. Authorities say he was warned about the potential dangers.

So now there may be two tragedies. A brave firefighter doing his job was killed protecting society. At the same time, a homeowner -- who happened to design his own home -- is now facing a major felony charge that could ruin his life as he knows it. Where's the justice in that?

In every case -- manslaughter or not -- criminal defendants require strong legal representation. This is to ensure the case is proven beyond all reasonable doubt, if that's even possible.