Final Exam Flashcards
Regina v. Dudley & Stephens
i. in order to save your own life you may [not] lawfully take away the life of another, when that other is neither attempting nor threatening yours, nor is guilty of any illegal act whatever towards you or anyone else.”
People v. Kellogg
i. Permissible under 8th amendment for a state to impose criminal punishment when addict engages in conduct which spills into public areas but not because of his condition of being a homeless alcoholic
Gray v. Kohl
i. School safety zone statute is unconstitutionally vague because it does not provide citizens of ordinary intelligence with reasonable notice of what legitimate business means
Criminal Elements “And”
separate elements: must prove both
Criminal Elements “Or”
same element can be proved in two different ways
In Re Joseph G.
Assisted Suicide if defendant played passive role:
A) merely furnished the means
B) Victim freely entered into by victim, instrumentality of death rules out fraud because consequences are equal for both
C) Death and the Attempted are Simultaneous
Victim has ability to change their mind
California Aiding and Abetting a Suicide
Every person who deliberately aids, or advises or encourages another to commit suicide is guilty of a felony
People v. Cleaves
Although Cleaves may not have applied pressure to the ligature itself, he admits his holding Eaton to keep him from failing off the bed was designed to assist Eaton to complete the act of strangulation active assistance in the over act of strangulation. Cleaves behavior allows Eaton to finish the job
United States v. Tapia
Courts can’t impose or lengthen prison terms to promote an offender’s rehabilitation
People v. Stark
We conclude Penal Code Section 484b defines a general intent crime…. definition of a crime consists of only the description of a particular act, without reference to intend to do a further act it is a general intent crime
In Re V.V.
A defendant may be guilty of arson if he or she acts with awareness of facts that would lead a reasonable person to realize that the direct, natural, and highly probable consequences of igniting and throwing a firecracker into dry brush would be the burning of the hillside
– Aware of risk or should have been
McBoyle v. U.S.
i. Term motor vehicle shall include an automobile, automobile truck, automobile wagon, motorcycle, or any other self-propelled vehicle not designed for running on rails
ii. Plain Meaning
Tennessee Valley Authority
Statute which is plain and unambiguous on its face, we ordinarily do not look to legislative history as a guide to its meaning
General Intent
- Intent to do the criminal act
- Must prove intent for conduct only, no need to prove intent for result, intent means defendant had the purpose to do the conduct, not usually in the statute
- Consciously choose the physical acts that constitute the relevant crime
Specific Intent
- Tried to cause some injury or to bring about some harmful or legally forbidden result—knowledge that act would be illegal, on purpose
- Must prove intent for the result, or intent to do some future act, usually extra intent state in the statute
- Enumerated Crimes: Solicitation, Attempt, Conspiracy, First Degree Premeditated Murder, Assault, Larceny and Robbery, Burglary, Forgery, False Pretenses, Embezzlement
Theft
Unlawfully taking the property of another with the intent to permanently deprive
Iowa Theft
Takes possession or control of the property of another, or property in the possession of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the other thereof
Iowa Operating a Motor Vehicle w/o consent
Possession or control of any self-propelled vehicle without the consent owner such but without the intent to permanently deprive the owner thereof
State v. Schminkey
- An intent to permanently deprive the owner of his property is an essential element of theft
- The mere fact that Schminkey took the pickup without the owner’s consent does not give rise to an inference that he intended to permanently deprive the owner of the vehicle
State v. Morris
i. Taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent does not give rise to an inference that the defendant intended to permanently deprive the owner of possession of the vehicle
ii. Abandoning vehicle due to police chase, insufficient evidence to show necessary intent, more likely to have it returned to owner
Mistake of Fact Defense
Specific Intent: Mistake Only Needs to be Honest
General Intent: Mistake has to be both honest and reasonable
United States v. Oglivie
Mistake of Fact Defense
Statute: Any person subject to this chapter who, with intent to deceive, signs any false record… knowing it to be false… shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
United States v. Binegar
Statute: wrongfully takes or obtains any money or personal property from possession of the owner with intent to permanently deprive or defraud another
Mens Rea: Purposely
Conscious objective, want to do it
Mens Rea: knowingly
know or practically certain, know it will happen
Mens Rea: Recklessly
Consciously disregards a substantial risk, a result will happen “aware of risk”
Mens Rea: Negligently
Should have been aware of a substantial risk
State v. Jenkins
i. Stabs victim, victim has a negative reaction to dye used at hospital to access wound, victim dies
ii. Person who inflicts an injury on another is deemed by law to be guilty of homicide if the injury contributes to the death of the other
State v. Varszegi
i. Took renters property when no payment, debt collection
ii. Good faith claim of right negates required intent for larceny. Larceny is specific intent crime, intent to deprive is a required element that must be proved by the state, good faith claim negates required intent.
State v. Loge
Statue: “under § 645.17(3), the state need not prove that the driver and sole occupant of a motor vehicle on a public highway knew of the existence of the open bottle containing intoxicating liquors in the motor vehicle.”
Strict Liability
No mistake of fact defense, no matter how reasonable
Santos
Rule of Lenity
- Tie must go to the defendant
- Ambiguous has two meanings
- Vague can’t tell the meaning
State v. Ducker
i. Statute: “knowingly, other than by accidental means, treats a child under eighteen (18) years of age in such a manner as to inflict injury or neglects such a child so as to adversely affect the child’s health and welfare… and such abuse results in serious bodily injury”
1. Knowingly neglects, knows it will result in injury, and Serious bodily injury results
Rehaif
i. Mens Rea applies to both defendant’s conduct and defendant’s status
NY Trespass
i. Knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building or upon real property which is fenced or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders
People v. Luke
i. Statute: “knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building or upon real property (a) which is fenced or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders….”
1. “unlawfully” = without license or privilege
Common Law Robbery
i. Taking and carrying away of property, with the intent permanently to deprive its owner thereof, by force or threat of force
Common Law Burglary
i. Breaking and entering the dwelling house of another in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony
Assault
i. Any act which is intended to cause pain or injury to, or which is intended to result in physical contact which will be insulting or offensive to another, couples with the apparent ability to execute the act
State v. Keeton
Any act which is intended to place another in fear of immediate physical contact which will be painful, injurious, insulting, or offensive, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act
Carter v. United States
i. (a) Whoever, by force and violence, or by intimidation, takes … from … another … money … belonging to any bank …
ii. (b) Whoever takes and carries away, with intent to steal or purloin, any … money … exceeding $1,000 belonging to … any bank …
1. Up to 20 years for (a)
2. Up to 10 years for (b)
iii. Defendant entitled to lesser included offense instruction (over prosecutor’s objection) if lower is a subset of higher crime.
iv. Subset means lower crime does not have any elements not included in higher crime.
California Burglary
i. Enters any house, room, apartment, store, or other building, with intent to commit larceny or any felony is guilty of burglary
People v. Sparks
Room Means Room
Expect Significant additional privacy and security
State v. Evans
i. If the plain meaning is ambiguous, must engage in statutory construction
1. Court declares what the meaning is based on some other source, such as legislative history
State v. Moon
i. Took money from fraternity with expectation to repay the funds
ii. They ignored the patent possibility that he committed theft under the portion ‘under circumstances that make it unlikely to be returned.’”