Accomplice Liability

Question 1

What is accomplice liability?

Answer 1

Accomplice liability is a way to link an accomplice to a crime committed by someone else

Question 2

How may an accomplice be charged under accomplice liability?

Answer 2

An accomplice can be charged as if they were the principal who committed hte crime

Question 3

What is the general rule regarding accomplice liability?

Answer 3

A D is criminally liable as an accomplice if the y commit some act that facilitates the principal’s commission or attempted commission of a crime, including encouragement with the purpose of brining about the commission of a crime

Question 4

What is the scope of accomplice liability?

Answer 4

An accomplice is liable for crimes purposefully facilitated as well as all others that are reasonably foreseeable outgrowths of the primary crime based on an objective standard of foreseeability

Question 5

What are defenses regarding accomplice liability under common law?

Answer 5

An accomplice can withdraw by giving the principal timely notice and nullifying any effect on any prior facilitation

Question 6

What is defense to accomplice liability under the MPC?

Answer 6

To remove accomplice liability, the accomplice must either:
1. render prior assistance to the perpetrator completely ineffective
2. provide cops with timely warning of the plan
3. make a proper effort to prevent the perpetrator from committing the crime