CRIMINAL LAW Flashcards
MERGER: SOLICITATION/ATTEMPT
For solicitation and attempt crimes, completion of the crimes DOES NOT allow conviction on both. They will merge and you can be convicted ONLY of the completed crime.
FELONIES: PUNISHMENT
Generally punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year or death
MISDEMEANORS: PUNISHMENT
Punishable by up to 1 year in jail.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A CRIME
1) Physical act (actus reus)
2) Mental state (mens rea)
3) Concurrence of both
ELEMENTS OF A CRIME: PHYSICAL ACT
D must have performed a VOLUNTARY physical act OR failed to act
NOT PHYSICAL ACTS
1) Conduct not a product of one’s own volition
2) Reflexive or convulsive act
3) Act while unconscious or asleep
PHYSICAL ACTS: OMISSION AS AN ACT
Failure to act causes liability only if:
1) there is a legal duty to act
2) D has KNOWLEDGE of the facts giving rise to the duty AND
3) it is REASONABLY POSSIBLE TO PERFORM
PHYSICAL ACTS: LEGAL DUTY TO ACT
1) By statute
2) By K
3) Relationship btw parties
4) voluntary assumption of care OR
5) D created peril
MENTAL STATE: SPECIFIC INTENT
Cannot be imputed merely by doing the act but the MANNER in which the crime was committed.
DEFENSES TO SPECIFIC INTENT CRIMES ONLY
1) Voluntary intoxication
2) Unreasonable mistake of fact
SPECIFIC INTENT CRIMES
1) Solicitation
2) Conspiracy
3) Attempt
4) First degree premed murder
5) assault
6) larceny
7) embezzlement
8) false pretenses
9) Robbery
10) burglary
11) forgery
WHAT IS MALICE?
The reckless disregard of an obvious or high risk that the particular harmful result will occur
WHAT ARE THE 2 MALICE CRIMES?
1) Murder in the 2nd degree
2) Arson
GENERAL INTENT
All crimes other than specific intent crimes
Def: D has an awareness of all factors constituting the crime and can be inferred from just DOING THE ACT
STRICT LIABILITY OFFENSES
1) They have NO MENS REA requirement and the D is guilty just be doing the act.
2) Look for crimes re: administrative, regulation or morality
3) Statutes without “knowingly”, “willfully” or “intentionally”
MPC ANALYSIS OF FAULT: PURPOSELY
1) Subjective standard
DEF: Conscious objective to engage in certain conduct or cause a certain result
MPC ANALYSIS OF FAULT: KNOWINGLY
1) Subjective standard
DEF: Aware conduct is of a particular nature OR certain circumstances exist AND that the conduct will necessarily or very likely cause a particular result
MPC ANALYSIS OF FAULT: RECKLESSLY
1) Subjective standard
DEF: Consciously disregard a substantial and unjustifiable risk
MPC ANALYSIS OF FAULT: NEGLIGENCE
1) OBJECTIVE standard
DEF: failure to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk
TRANSFERRED INTENT
Applies to homicide, battery, and arson and occurs when D intended to harm a different victim or object but causes injury to the unintended person
ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY: COMMON LAW (PARTIES)
1) Principal in 1st degree - persons who engage in the act constituting the crime
2) Principal in the 2nd degree - aid, advise, or encourage and WERE PRESENT for the crime
3) Accessories before the fact: assisted or encouraged but NOT PRESENT
4) Accessories after the fact: with knowledge that the other has committed a felony, ASSISTED in escaping arrest or punishment
ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY: MODERN STATUTES
1) Principals - with requisite mental state, actually commit the crime
2) Accomplices - Aid, advise, or encourage the principal in committing the crime
DUAL INTENT: ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY
Must have:
1) intent to assist AND
2) intent for the OTHER to commit the act
SCOPE OF ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY
Responsible fro the crimes they did or aided AND other crimes committed by the principal in the course of action if they were PROBABLE AND FORESEEABLE
WITHDRAWAL FROM ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY
1) Must repudiate encouragement
2) Attempt to neutralize assistance in the crime
3) Notify the police or. take action to prevent the crime
MUST HAPPEN BEFORE THE CRIME OCCURS
INCHOATE OFFENSES: CONSPIRACY (ELEMENTS)
1) Agreement between 2 or more people
2) An intent to enter into the agreement
3) AND intent to achieve the objective of the agreement
4) an OVERT ACT is usually required - includes SUBSTANTIAL PREP
INCHOATE OFFENSES: CONSPIRACY - AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS
1) Mutual Agreement to accomplish the objective
2) Modern rule: intent by 1
Common Law: intent by 2 or more
CONSPIRACY: OVER ACT REQUIREMENT
Common Law: Not required
Modern rule: required for most states