If Mr. Smith, while intoxicated, runs over Mr. Anderson with his automobile killing him, what is the highest offense he could be charged with?

In this scenario, Mr. Smith could be charged with murder because the actions leading to Mr. Anderson's death exhibit a disregard for human life and show intent that transcends mere negligence. To determine whether Mr. Smith could be charged with murder, we consider the circumstances of the act—that he was intoxicated while operating a vehicle—and the resultant death of another person. When someone drives under the influence and operates a vehicle recklessly or with a willful disregard for the safety of others, that can meet the threshold for murder if it is established that he acted with conscious disregard for the consequences of his actions.

In many jurisdictions, there are varying degrees of murder charges, including first-degree and second-degree murder. A conviction for murder typically requires that the perpetrator showed a malicious intent or a depraved heart that demonstrated a disregard for human life, which can be applicable in cases involving intoxication and reckless driving.

While manslaughter and negligent homicide are charges related to causing death through reckless or negligent actions, they generally imply a lower degree of culpability compared to murder, which considers the intentional disregard for life. Thus, given the circumstances outlined in the problem, murder is a plausible charge that reflects the severity of the offense.