Provocation that would cause a reasonable person to lose control may be sufficient to convert an otherwise intentional killing of another to manslaughter.

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This is a legal principle known as "provocation manslaughter" or "voluntary manslaughter." If the defendant can prove that they were provoked into killing someone due to a reasonable and sudden loss of self-control, it may lead to a conviction of manslaughter instead of murder. However, the provocation must be serious enough that it would cause a reasonable person to lose control, and the defendant cannot have had time to cool off before committing the act.

Provocation That Would Cause a Reasonable Person to Lose Control