...says the Los Angeles Coroner's office.

Cause of death: heart failure caused by the administration of a powerful sedative, apparently demanded by Jackson himself from his personal physician to help him sleep.

Is homocide like manslaughter?

Good question.

There's a clear legal distinction between the two charges in the UK. I would have thought medical negligence- which seems to be what is being alleged here- would be classified as manslaughter rather than homicide.

But the LA legal system must be different.

What is the British legal definition of homocide? The word literally means, in latin "the killing of man" so it's not very explanatory to the specifics.

I don't believe the term "homicide" even exists in UK law; here, it's called murder.

In US law, a distinction is apparently made between various degrees of murder, so I supose "2nd-degree murder" must be roughly the equivalent of the (lesser) charge of "Manslaughter" here in the UK.

Homicide means you really meant it. Manslaughter means maybe you just got a little carried away.