chance-medley
/tʃɑːnsˈmɛdli
/noun [mass noun] Law, rare
The accidental killing of a person in a fight.The murder of the constable was, if not properly accidental, at least rather in the nature of chance medley....
- In his case, on appeal, the Chief Justice for the first time ruled that the defence of chance medley that downsized murder to manslaughter could not be pleaded under British law.
- You say that James Annesley is Not Guilty of the felony and murder whereof he stands indicted, but is Guilty of chance-medley.
Origin
Late 15th century: from Anglo-Norman French chance medlee, literally 'mixed chance', from chance 'luck' + medlee, feminine past participle of medler 'to mix' (based on Latin miscere).