Crim Law Flashcards
Elements of a Crime
- Actus Reus
- Mens Rea
- Concurrence
- Harmful Result and Causation
Model Penal Code Mental States
(Mens Rea)
- Purpose - conscious desire to achieve a particular result
- Knowledge - aware of what he is doing and practically certain that his conduct will cause the result
- Recklessness - aware of a substantial risk and consciously disregards
- Negligence - should have been aware of a substantial risk
- Strict Liability
Common Law Mental States
(Mens Rea)
- Specific Intent - acts with desire to achieve specific result
- Malice - acts intentionally or with reckless disregard of a known risk
- General Intent - generally aware of the factors constituting crime (need not intend a specific result)
- Strict Liability
Concurrence Rule
Defendant must have the required mental state at the same time that he engages in the culpable act
Criminal Battery
The (1) unlawful (2) application of (3) force to another person causing (4) bodily injury or offensive contact
Mental State: General Intent
Criminal Assault
- An attempted battery (swing and a miss); or
- Intentional creation of reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful contact (general intent)
Common Law Murder
A unlawful killing of another committed with malice aforethought.
- Malice:
- Intent to Kill;
- Intent to inflict great bodily harm; OR
- Depraved heart: reckless indifference to a known high risk of death or great bodily harm
- OR Felony-Murder Rule
Degrees of Murder
-
First Degree:
- Premeditated and Deliberate Intent to Kill
- Second Degree: all other murders
Felony-Murder Rule
Homicide committed during an inherently dangerous felony
- Homicide must be foreseeable/proximate cause
- During felony or immediate flight (not after felon reaches a place of temporary safety)
- Vicarious Liability:
- Liable for death caused by co-felon
- Not liable if non-felon kills co-felon
- Proximate Cause Theory: liable for death of non-felon by non-felon
- Agency Theory: not liable for death of non-felon by non-felon
Voluntary Manslaughter
An intentional killing that would otherwise be murder will be mitigated to voluntary manslaughter if:
- Committed in the Heat of Passion upon
- Adequate Provocation: must be a subjective and objective passion AND no cooling off
Involuntary Manslaughter
An unintentional homicide commited without malice (e.g, with criminal negligence (common law) or recklessly (MPC).
- Intent to inflict slight bodily harm
- Criminal Negligence - gross deviation from reasonable person standard
OR
Misdemeanor-Manslaughter Rule: homicide during a non-inherently dangerous felony or a malum in se crime
False Imprisonment
The (1) unlawful (2) confinement of a person (3) without consent
Mental State: General Intent
Kidnapping
The false imprisonment of another person invovling either movement or concealment.
Mental State: General Intent
Forcible Rape
(1) Sexual Intercourse
(2) without consent
(3) accomplished by force, threat of force, or when the victim in unconscious
Mental State: General Intent
Statutory Rape
Sexual Intercourse with someone under the age of consent
Majority Rule: Strict Liability
MPC/Minority Rule: A reasonable mistake is a defense