History Main / IDidntMeanToKillHim

* In the {{Dragonlance}} book ''Dragons of Spring Dawning'', we find out that Berem rarely talks or even interacts with the outside world because in his mind, he's reliving the day that [[spoiler:he accidentally killed his sister, Jasla. He was prying a gemstone out of a ruined temple, and Jasla told him to stop. She grabbed him and, in a rage, he shoved her, causing her to fall and get impaled on a stone fragment. Turns out that the death of Jasla is what allowed Takhisis to come back to Krynn and set in motion the War of the Lance]].
* A version of this occurs toward the end of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows,'' when Harry tries to explain [[spoiler:to the ghosts of Remus, Sirius, and his parents, that he never meant for any of them to die.]] [[TearJerker Sniffle.]]
** Also, in the sixth book, when Harry inadvertantly slashes Draco to bits with the ''Sectumsempra'' spell (nearly killing him), he gasps, "No- I didn't-" Granted in this instance it was justified, as he had ''no idea'' of what Sectumsempra would ''do'', instead using it in a moment of desperation due to Malfoy attempting to use the Killing Curse.

* [[spoiler:Corrine]] claims this about [[spoiler:Cory's]] death in VCAndrews' ''Literature/FlowersInTheAttic'': she says that she thought [[spoiler:putting arsenic on powdered sugar donuts]] would just make [[spoiler:him]] "a little sick ..."
* Late in ''[[{{Deryni}} The Quest for Saint Camber]]'', this is [[spoiler: Conall's]] response when Duncan asks him about [[spoiler: Tiercel's]] death. Specifically, he says an argument degenerated into a shoving match at the top of a staircase.

* In ''VideoGame/UntilDawn'', this is pretty much how most characters except [[spoiler: Josh]] react to the death of [[spoiler: Hannah and Beth]]. One character even literally says "It was just a prank, [[spoiler: Han]]".

* The defendant in the ''Series/LawAndOrder'' episode "Terminal" claims that when he shot a businesswoman he only intended to wound her, keeping her from cashing a check he couldn't cover and maintain his appearance as a successful businessman. Adam Schiff gives enough credence to the explanation to resist the governor's call to make it a death penalty case. (The man doesn't seem overly bright.)

* "It was just a joke!", when a [[DeadlyPrank prank or practical joke goes horribly wrong]].

** Also, in the sixth book, when Harry inadvertantly slashes Draco to bits with the ''Sectumsempra'' spell (nearly killing him), he gasps, "No- I didn't-"

After making the IDidntMeanToKillHim declaration, they'll often go on to explain that they dismembered the corpse and hid the pieces in a septic tank because they "panicked". In such a spiel, they will always, every time, utter the line "I didn't mean to kill him/her", as if that's supposed to make it all better.

* TroubledButCute Johnny in ''TheOutsiders'' says this when he [[spoiler:he kills Bob, the Soc who was drowning Ponyboy.]]

* Thorvald Two-Stone in {{Arcanum}} was sent to the Isle of Despair for killing a gnome with a single punch at a bar. He is completely non-repentant, saying that the gnome had a weak neck. Thorvald did have a strength of 21, which is pretty much the maximum amount in this game.

* Approximately half of the murders in ''ColdCase'' are accidental in some sense or other.

* [[spoiler:Corrine]] claims this about [[spoiler:Cory's]] death in VCAndrews' ''Literature/FlowersInTheAttic'': she says that she thought [[spoiler:putting arsenic on powdered sugar donuts]] would just make [[spoiler:him]] "a little sick..."

* An episode of ''{{CSI}}'', Loco Motives, features a multiple murderer who explains that he didn't mean to kill anyone. He just happens to be prone to causing fatal accidents.
** Variants of this show up several times on ''{{CSI NY}}''.

* In ''Film/LaStrada'', Zampanò says this to Gelsomina, trying to explain the death of The Fool--Zampanò only punched him a few times, but after walking away a few steps The Fool keeled over and died. Zampanò is a circus strongman who apparently DidNotKnowHisOwnStrength.

* A subversion of this occurs toward the end of HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows, when Harry tries to explain [[spoiler:to the ghosts of Remus, Sirius, and his parents, that he never meant for any of them to die.]] [[TearJerker Sniffle.]]

* Subverted in Film/LegallyBlonde where [[spoiler:Chutney insisted that she didn't mean to kill her father, but meant to kill Brooke instead.]]

* Subverted in {{Legally Blonde}} where [[spoiler:Chutney insisted that she didn't mean to kill her father, but meant to kill Brooke instead.]]

* [[spoiler:Corrine]] claims this about [[spoiler:Cory's]] death in VCAndrews' ''FlowersInTheAttic'': she says that she thought [[spoiler:putting arsenic on powdered sugar donuts]] would just make [[spoiler:him]] "a little sick..."