NY Criminal Law and Procedure Flashcards
CRIMINAL LIABILITY:
What are the 4 elements of criminal liability?,f
- Act.
- Mental State.
- Causation.
- Concurrence.
MENTAL STATES:
What are the 5 New York
mental states?
MENTAL STATES
- Intentionally – meant to do it
- Knowingly – aware he’s doing it
- Recklessly – knows about a substantial & unjustifiable risk & consciously disregards it
- Negligently – should have known about a substantial & unjustifiable risk
- Strict liability – absence of mental state
CL CRIMES: BATTERY
What is battery?
Unlawful application of force to another resulting in either bodily injury or offensive touching.
Misdemeanor
General intent crime
Example of Aggravated Battery
- • battery w/ a deadly weapon
- • battery resulting in serious bodily harm
- • battery of a child, woman or police officer
DOCTRINE OF MISTAKE:
Mistake of fact in NY?
D may plead mistake of fact to disprove the required mental state.
o Intentionally, Knowingly, Recklessly – any mistake is a defense
o Negligently – reasonable mistake
o Strict liability – no mistake
➩ if there is an unfamiliar crime, assume knowingly or intentionally b/c if it is reckless or negligent, will usually be in the name of the crime
CL CRIMES: ASSAULT
What is assault?
an attempt to commit a battery OR
intentionally making the V think you are about to commit a battery
Specific intent crime.
Example of Aggravated Assault:
o w/ a deadly weapon
o w/ intent to rape or maim
NY CRIMES: ASSAULT
What is assault?
crime of intentionally injuring another person
there must be an injury – impairment of physical condition or substantial pain
• Attempted assault = trying to commit a battery
12 Degrees – TIPS:
- Add a weapon, add a degree
- Omit a weapon, omit a degree
- Add a level of injury, add a degree
- physical injury – causes substantial pain
- serious physical injury – causes permanent damage or life-threatening
- Pay attention to quantity for drugs & property.
NY HOMICIDE:
What are the elements of highly reckless murder?
demonstrating a depraved indifference to human life, a person recklessly engages in conduct that causes a grave risk of death to another person & thereby causes the death of another person
Must expose multiple people to risk.
One-on-one killing in only 2 ways:
• excessive brutality like torture
• abandons a vulnerable to certain death
➩ Likely to be tested b/c new. Write “utter disregard for the value of human life”
NY HOMICIDE:
What are the elements of intentional murder?
when a person, with the intent to cause the death of another, causes the death of such person
2 Affirmative Defenses:
o extreme emotional disturbance (“heat of passion”)
o aiding a suicide (using duress or deception)
➩ mitigates it to manslaughter
NY HOMICIDE:
What are the elements of 2nd degree vehicular homicide?
Person who operates a motor vehicle in violation of DWI laws & as a result operates the car in a manner that causes death to another.
Assault – “causes serious physical injury to another”
NY HOMICIDE:
What are the elements of 1st degree vehicular homicide?
2nd Degree PLUS:
have a BAC of .18
know or have reason to know that his license was suspended or revoked for DWI offense or refusal to submit to chemical test
previous DWI conviction w/in past 10 yrs.
cause death to more than 1 person
have been previously convicted of another vehicular assault or homicide
➩suspensions & convictions in other states count
NY HOMICIDE:
What are the elements of Criminally Negligent Homicide?
where one causes the death of another due to the failure to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death
D’s conduct must have been culpable (failure to perceive risk not enough) and
death-producing event foreseeable
NY HOMICIDE:
What are the elements of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide?
1st Degree + driver drove recklessly
Exception: serious physical injury to 1 person & death to another is enough here – do not need death of 2 people
CL KIDNAPPING
What are the elements of kidnapping?
False imprisonment and moving the V or concealing V in a secret place
Example of Aggravated Kidnapping:
• for ransom
• for the purpose of committing other crimes
• for offensive purposes
• child stealing
CL FALSE IMPRISONMENT
What are the elements of false imprisonment?
unlawful confinement of a person w/o his valid consent
Consent not valid:
o coercion
o threats
o deception
o incapacity due to mental illness
o retardation
o youth
NY RAPE
What are the different degrees of rape?
Sex w/o V’s consent by force or threat of force or when V is unconscious
1st Degree
o V is under 11 yrs. old
o V is physically helpless
o forcible compulsion
2nd Degree
o 18+ person has sex w/ person under 14
3rd Degree
o sex w/ person who cannot consent (other than b/c of age)
o 21+ person who has sex w/ someone under 17
➩ Cannot be convicted solely on testimony of V unless forcible rape, sodomy, sexual abuse
CL INCHOATE CRIMES
General Chart
NY DEFENSES: WITHDRAWAL
What are the requirements for withdrawal?
Affirmative Defense to accomplice liability for the substantive offenses, other than an attempt, if:
Voluntarily & completely renounces criminal purpose
Withdraws prior to the commission of the crime
Makes a substantial effort to prevent the crime
CL DEFENSES: WITHDRAWAL
What are the requirements for withdrawal?
General rule: a person who effectively withdraws from a crime before it is committed cannot be held guilty as an accomplice.
Must occur before the crime becomes unstoppable.
Repudiation is sufficient withdrawal for mere encouragement
Actually helped – must make a “substantial effort to prevent the crime”