Crimes Flashcards
Four essential elements of a crime
- Act (actus reus)
- mental state (mens rea)
- concurrence of the act and mental state
- causation
Punishment for felony
Punished by death or imprisonment for MORE THAN 1 year
Punishment for misdemeanor
Imprisonment for LESS than one year or a fine
Types of “omission liability”
Need a legal duty:
- statute
- contract
- status relationship (spouse/spouse parent/child)
- voluntary assumption of care (begin to rescue)
- creation of the peril
3 elements to be liable for an omission
- legal duty
- knowledge of facts that give rise to the duty
- ability to help
(if you are a mother but at the snack bar while your child is drowning, you will not have knowledge)
Specific intent crimes: crimes against the person
- assault
2. first degree premeditated murder
specific intent crimes: crimes against property
- larceny
- embezzlement
- false pretenses
- robbery
- forgery
- burglary
specific intent crimes: inchoate crimes
- solicitation
- conspiracy
- attempt
defenses only available to specific intent crimes
- voluntary intoxication
2. UNREASONABLE mistake of fact
general intent: mental state requirement
D need only be generally aware of the factors constituting the crime; he need not intend a specific result (jury can infer general intent based on crime simply being committed)
General intent crimes
- battery
- kidnapping
- false imprisonment
- forcible rape
Two types of strict liability crimes
- public welfare offenses
2. statutory rape
When is a defendant a proximate cause of a bad result?
If the bad result is a NATURAL and PROBABLE consequence of D’s conduct.
Eggshell victims
A criminal D takes his victim as he finds him.
Battery elements (MBE)
- unlawful application of FORCE to another resulting in BODILY INJURY or an OFFENSIVE TOUCHING
Assault
- attempted battery
OR - the intentional creation of a reasonable apprehension in the mind of the victim of imminent bodily harm
Aggravated Assault in GA
Assault perpetrated with a deadly weapon or assault with the intent to murder, rape, or rob
Aggravated Battery in GA
Maliciously causing serious bodily harm to another
Definition of murder in GA
Causing the death of another with MALICE AFORETHOUGHT
How can “malice aforethought” be satisfied in GA?
- intent to kill (express malice)
- intent to inflict serious bodily harm
- felony murder (inherently dangerous felony)
- depraved heart (extreme reckless indifference to human life)
Can transferred intent apply to attempts?
No, transferred intent only applies to completed harms.
GA: does it follow the merger rule for conviction of the underlying felony?
No, Georgia does not require the underlying felony to be independent from the killing.
In GA can the co-felon be guilty of felony murder if another co-felon dies?
Yes. Not on MBE though!
What is the majority and GA rule for vicarious liability during felony?
Proximate cause: a killing committed by a third party will still put felon on the hook
Does GA have degrees of murder?
NO
Feticide
A crime recognized in GA. A person commits feticide when he causes the death of a fetus by wilfully through injury to the mother that would constitute murder to the mother OR death of a fetus during a felony.
Voluntary manslaughter
An INTENTIONAL killing committed
in the HEAT OF PASSION
upon ADEQUATE PROVOCATION
What constitutes adequate provocation?
- serious assault or battery
- witnessing adultery
* usually words alone aren’t enough
What type of involuntary manslaughter does GA recognize?
Unlawful act manslaughter: a killing committed during a crime to which the felony murder doctrine doesn’t apply
False imprisonment
unlawful
confinement of a person
without consent
Kidnapping
Unlawful confinement of a person that involves either moving the victim or concealing the victim in a secret place.
Forcible rape
Sexual intercourse
without the victim’s consent
accomplished by force or threat of force or when the victim is unconscious
Larceny
Trespassory
Taking and
Carrying Away of Personal Property of Another
With the intent to permanently retain the property
Larceny/ Embezzlement: custody
If D has lawful custody: could be embezzlement
If D does NOT have lawful custody, he can be guilty of larceny
Continuing Trespass
If D wrongfully takes property (w/o intent to steal)
and later forms the intent to steal, this is considered to be larceny –> the initial trespass is considered to have continued.
Conversion
D had lawful possession of property
Converted the personal property of another
With the intent to defraud
False pretenses
Obtaining title to the personal property of another by an intentional false statement with the intent to defraud
Larceny by trick
D obtains only custody as a result of a false statement (NOT TITLE)
Robbery
Larceny from someone’s person or presence by force or threat of immediate injury
Larceny + Assault
Forgery
making or altering a writing
so that it is false
with the specific intend to defraud
Burglary (GA)
Entering or remaining
within a dwelling (first degree)
OR structure (including a boat, vehicle, RR car - second degree)
without authority AND
with the intent to commit a FELONY or THEFT therein
Arson (MBE)
The malicious burning of a building
- charring required
- building must be burned
Arson (GA)
You can commit arson on all buildings (including your own property)
Mental state in GA for arson is KNOWINGLY
What type of “control” is required to be guilty of a “possession crime?”
Control for long enough to have an opportunity to TERMINATE possession
Constructive possession is enough - if you can exercise dominion and control
Possession crimes - mental state?
KNOWLEDGE
Receipt of Stolen Property (Elements)
Receiving POSSESSION and CONTROL
of STOLEN personal property
Mental state for Receipt of Stolen Property
Knowledge that property is stolen AND
intent to permanently deprive
Accomplice liability Elements
- Person who aids or encourages
2. Intent that the crime be committed
Guilt of an accomplice
- all crimes that he aids and encourages
2. all foreseeable crimes committed
What happens if a principal is acquitted in GA?
Accomplice can still be tried and convicted in GA!
How do you withdraw so that you aren’t liable as an accomplice?
- If you only encourage – repudiate your encouragement before crime is committed
- if you actually helped the principal, you must NEUTRALIZE the assistance or PREVENT the crime from happening
Accessory after the fact
D must help a principal who has committed a FELONY
with KNOWLEDGE that the crime has been committed
with the INTENT to help the principal avoid arrest or conviction
Enterprise liability
Agent of a corporation can be liable for criminal conduct if the agent is:
- acting on behalf of the corporation and
- acting within the scope of his office