Crim Law Flashcards
Actus Rea
The criminal act must be a voluntary, affirmative act that causes a criminally punishable result
The act requirement may also be satisfied by an omission or failure to act under circumstances imposing a legal duty to act
What are the elements of a criminal defense
- Mens rea: the guilty mind (except in strict liability cases)
- Actus rea: the bad or unlawful act
- Causation
Actus Rea: Voluntary Act
The criminal act must be physical and voluntary and actions during unconsciousness, sleep, or hypnosis are not voluntary
Reflexive or convulsive acts as well as conduct that is not the product of the actor’s determination is also not voluntary
Actus Rea: failure to act when a duty exists
A legal duty to act and the failure to do so results in criminal liability when the duty is imposed by a statute, the duty is imposed by a contract, there is a special relationship, there is a detrimental undertaking (leaving a victim in a worse condition then when you found him), and if the defendant caused the peril and fails to aid the victim
Imposed by statute Contract Special relationship Detrimental undertaking Causation
Defendant must have knowledge of the facts giving rise to the duty to act and it must have been reasonably possible for the defendant to perform the duty
Mens rea element
the requirement of a guilty mind or legally proscribed mental state that the defendant must possess to commit a crime
a criminal act is committed when an actus rea is coupled with a mens rea
Strict liability cases do not have a mens rea requirement
Mens rea: specific intent crimes
Specific intent crimes require that the defendant posses a subjective desire, specific objective, or knowledge to accomplish a prohibited result
Mens rea: what are the specific intent crimes
First degree murder Inchoate defenses (attempt, solicitation, conspiracy) Assault with intent to commit a battery Theft offenses (larceny, larceny by trick, false pretenses, embezzlement, forgery, burglary, robbery
FIAT
Look for “intent to” in the fact pattern
Mens rea: malice crimes
Crimes requiring malice, a reckless disregard of a high risk of harm
Malice only requires a criminal act without excuse, justification, or mitigation
Mens rea: what are the malice crimes
common law murder
arson
Mens rea: general intent crimes
General intent crimes require only the intent to perform an act that is unlawful
acts done knowingly, recklessly, or negligently under the Model Penal Code are generally general intent crimes
Battery, rape, kidnapping, and false imprisonment are some examples
Mens rea: transferred intent
When a defendant acts with an intent to cause harm to one person or object and that act directly results in harm to another person or object, the defendant can be liable for the harm caused under the doctrine of transferred intent
Usually confined to homicide, battery, and arson
Any defenses that the defendant could assert against the intended victim may also transfer to the unintended victim
What is the minority view on mens rea
The Model Penal Code
It has levels of culpability: Purposely, Knowingly or willfully, recklessly, and negligently
This is not the approach to take on the MBE unless told to do so. I am not going to explain the four categories. Found on page 3 of outline
Strict liability crimes
a strict liability crime does not require a mens rea, rather, proof of the actus reas is sufficient for a conviction
Statutory rape, bigamy, regulatory offenses for public welfare, regulation of foods drugs and firearms, and selling liquor to minors
Crim Law: Mistake of fact
Mistake of fact may negate criminal intent but it must be an honest mistake and it applies differently to specific intent and general intent crimes and does not apply to strict liability crimes since it does not have a mens rea requirement
Mens rea: reasonable of mistake of fact
A mistake of fact is a defense to a specific-intent crime, even if the mistake is unreasonable but for general intent and malice crimes, the mistake of fact must be reasonable in order to be a defense
Mens rea: mistake of fact-MPC
Under the MPC, a mistake of fact that negates the required state of mind for a material element of a crime is a defense
Mens rea: mistake of law
Mistake or ignorance of the law generally is not a valid defense, except when there is reliance on the decision of a court, administrative order, or official interpretation of the law determined to be erroneous after the conduct, a statute defining a malum prohibitum crime (i.e. a crime for engaging in conduct not obviously wrong, such as failure to obtain a license) was not reasonably made available prior to the conduct, and an honestly held mistake of law negates the required intent
Incorrect or bad legal advice from an attorney is not a valid mistake of law defense