fatal - offences Flashcards
murder
an unlawful killing of a reasonable person under the kings or queens peace.
murder in a different country
can be trailed in domestic court
when might a killing be lawful
self defence
war
death penalty
who might nopt be a reasonable person
a foetus in the womb
brain dead - doctors have to often switch of life machines however that doesn’t make them criminally liable.
war time killing is classed as under the kings peace
attorney generel ref
- foetus deliberately injured and the child is born but passes away due to these injury’s means the d can be criminally liable.
Malcherek v steel (1981)
brian dead
llp- doctors tuning of life machine does nt make them criminally liable.
Omission
Death can also result from omission or a failure to act
if d has a duty to the v and fails to fulfil that then the AR is present
stone v Dobinson
r v miller
In omission what needs to be proven?
There is a direct and unbroken link between ds act and the consequence
stone v Dobinson
omission
they had a duty of care to her sister.
lp - liable for her death ad they took responsibility of her when they took her in.
R v miller
omission
fire to mattress
legal principle - D can be liable for their reckless behaviour even if they didn’t mean for the consequence to happen.
Factual causation
needs to be established in every criminal case
the but for test
in some cases when the but for test is used the d may not be liable
R v paget
But for test - factual causation
p armed with a shotgun, used v as a human shield which resulted in her being shot by the police
held - but for p using her a human shield she would not have died. his conduct was the actual cause for her death.
legal causation
D act must be the substantial cause of consequence
- must be more than a minimum cause
R v Cato
legal causation
drug addicts spent the night injecting each other with heroin one died
- Mr Cato liable for manslaughter this is due to the injections being more than a minimum cause.
think skin rule
taking teh victim as you find them
R V Balue
Think skin rule
D stabbed V who was a johvass witness she refused blood transfusion.
- D was found liable
Novus Actus interveniens
Novus Actus Interveniens
- a new act of event and D can no longer be responsible for the consequences
- the act must be very different
R v Jordan
V stabbed in the stomach and was recovering in hospital. was given antibiotics and liquids. Previously he had an allergic reaction to antibiotics. He died
- action of the medical was the main cause of the death not initial stab wound.
- D was not liable for murder
R v Smith
Novus act interveniens
solider stabbed his comrade. 2 people carried the v and dropped him on the way to medical failed he had a punctured lung.
- d was found guilty of murder
legal principle - it doesn’t matter if the action was sole cauue of death it was still an operatig cause of death.
Action taken by victim
is death the result from the independent act the v took
- is the threat D shows serious? if it is then it is more reasonable for v independant action
R v Roberts
action taken by victim
D drove down a side road and sjubjected v to unwanted sexual advances. V jumped out of moving car and was injured
- d liable for injuries
- hadn’t been broke by actions
-