2) Homicide Flashcards
crim homicide: elements
1) act (legal cause)
2) mens rea (part of unlawful)
3) no justification/excuse (part of unlawful)
4) result: death of a person
murder: def
unlawful killing of a human being w malice
“human being”: CL rule
required that V be born alive first
“human being” current rule
states may extend crim liability to include fetus after first trimester
suicide
assisted suicide is not accomplice liability for murder – death must be caused by someone other than V.
suicide: exception
RECKLESS conduct that proximately causes someone else to commit suicide (play Russian Roulette) can cause homicide liability, but not based on an accomplice theory
year and a day rule
at CL, if V died more than 1y+1d after D’s act that was cause in fact –> death not foreseeable –> D not the legal cause
year and a day rule: now
most states have eliminated or extended period
ways D can be responsible for killing he dn directly commit
1) accomplice
2) conspiracy
3) substantial factor
4) co-felon liability (felony murder)
accomplice liability: def
D who is accomplice to actual killer may be held liable for homicide, even tho it was killer’s act that caused V’s death
conspiracy liability: def
if:
1) reasonably foreseeable result of conspiracy is homicide AND
2) homicide was committed in furtherance of the conspiracy, THEN
all members of the conspiracy can be held liable for homicide (regardless of which actually caused it)
murder: MR
malice
intent to kill: MR
purpose or knowledge
deadly weapons doctrine
intent to kill is normally inferred from D’s use of an instrument designed to kill OR used in a manner likely to kill or inflict GBH
intent to cause SBH
= express malice, even if D did not intend to kill
SBH def
serious bodily injury: significant but non-fatal injury
intent to inflict SBH malice
D purpose or knowledge that his actions will result in serious physical injury
(and if happens to result in death, then murder malice!)
depraved heart murder
(implied malice)
unintentional killing resulting from
1) reckless or grossly neg conduct
2) that creates an extreme risk to others
3) that demonstrates a wanton indifference to human life + conscious disregard of unreasonable risk of death or SBH
felony murder: elments
1) unintentional killing
2) proximately caused (right connection)
3) during the commission or attempted commission (right time)
4) of a serious or inherently dangerous felony (right type of crime)
malice is automatic! (don’t need to expect someone would die)
right type of killing: ways
1) listed in statute if there is one, OR
2) independent of killing AND inherently dangerous
“independent of the killing” def
(maj rule): if primary felonious purpose of the felony is serious physical harm, felony is NOT independent
“independent of the killing” aka
collateral to the killing
“independnet” of the killing: exs of crimes that are NOT
manslaughter, aggravated batter, ag asault, mayhem
“inherently dangerous” def
inevitable secondary effect of the felony is serious risk to human life
“inherently dangerous” : 2 tests
1) (majority) abstract
2) context (minority)
“inherently dangerous” abstract test
felony must be dangerous in all contexts
(majority) –> is it ALWAYS inherently dangerous?
“inherently dangerous”: context test
(minority) consider manner of commission –> was it inherently dangerous?