Case Name --> Holding Flashcards
Chavez
Baby in toilet; Defines human being
Singleton
Baby thrown away; Consider the strains and travails giving rise to maternal nonfeasance during childbirth (Contra Chavez)
Girourard
Wife taunts husband, he stabs her; Defines provocations adequate to mitigate second degree murder to voluntary manslaughter
Alexander
White marines and black customers; Provocation is not an element of manslaughter, but a defense to second degree murder; racial slurs are not adequate
Mullaney
Frenzy provoked by a homosexual advance; Overturns ME rule and places burden of proving provocation on the prosecution
Caruso
Father kills doctor after child’s death and laughs; Need premeditation and deliberation to find first degree murder. Evaluate if everything occurs in one transaction. Laugh indicative of heat of passion
Mazza
Low IQ robs and kills; There is no intermediate stage of partial criminal responsibility between insanity and ordinary responsibility
Wolff
15 y/o murders mother to rape girls; Judge character of murder in light of youth and mental illness; 1st degree requires more understanding and comprehension than necessary to form the intent to kill (But see Mazza)
Poplis
Child beating; Extremely dangerous and fatal conduct performed with depraved wantonness does not require specific homicidal intent
Heinlein
Alcoholics rape victim, one kills her; felony murder rule and accomplice liability when inside the scope of the felony
Stamp
Heart attack during robbery; Felony murder rule imposes strict liability though death is not foreseeable
Smith
Off-duty cop shot by one of the robbers; Overturns Almedia; Malice of initial offense attaches to whatever else the criminal does in connection with it (No more felony murder to impute murder liability to third party killings
Taylor
One of the robber dies at the hands of a 3d party; Felony murder doesn’t apply (see Smith) but attach vicariously liability to make the D’s liable
Kendrick
Cheating husband stabs cuckold; Defines self defense; If force is excessive, voluntary manslaughter
Humphrey
Battered wife syndrome; BWS not an ordinary self defense claim but jury can consider testimony, still a RP standard
Martin
Inmate attacked guard to protect fellow inmate; Defines defense of others rule
Crawford
D tries to recover money lawfully owed him with a gun; Defines defense of property rule
Bell
Speeding w/o headlights, pedestrian killed; Defines gross and culpable negligence rule to support a finding of involuntary manslaughter
Chapman
Aircraft hits home killing three; Pilot was not wantonly reckless
Feinberg
Sterno alcohol; Involuntary manslaughter though lawfully selling goods because acts were evidence of wanton disregard for human life
Gian-Cursio
Chiropractor treats tuberculosis with vegetarianism; Criminal negligence exists where there is gross lack of competency, gross inattention, or criminal indifference to patient’s safety; Conviction affirmed
Beardsley
Cheating husband’s lover leaves her in friend’s apartment and she dies; Defines where legal duty exists - none here (did not count as voluntary assumption of care)
Sheridan
Christian Scientist child dies; Conflict with 1st and legal duty to act; Mother on probation for 5 years
Fine
D shook victim, he dies; Requires proximate causation or an act contributing to death in order to find homicide; This case was fortuitous