Quick Crim Law/Crim Pro Flashcards
Under Modern Law, which offenses merge?
solicitation and attempt (except in transfered intent cases), both merge into the completed crime. Conspiracy does not merge into the completed crime.
Under CL, if a person is engaged in conduct constituting both a felony and a misdemeanoer, they could be convicted only of a felony.
What are the specific intent crimes?
- The state of mind required?
AND is it objective or subjective?
1 solicitation 2 attempt 3 conspiracy 4 1st degree premeditated murder 5 Assault (attempted battery) 6 Larceny, Robbery 7 Burglary 8 Forgery 9 FAlse Pretenses 10 Embezzelmant
INtent to engage in proscribed conduct
Subjective
what are the General Intent crimes?
- The state of mind required?
AND is it objective or subjective?
1 Battery
2 Rape
3 Kidnapping
4 False Imprisonment
Awareness of acting in proscribed manner
Subjective
What are the malice crimes?-
The state of mind required?
AND is it objective or subjective?
Common Law Murder
Arson
Reckless disregard of a known risk
Subjective
What are the strict liability crimes?
The state of mind required?
AND is it objective or subjective?
statutory rape
selling liquor to minors
bigamy (some jdxs)
Conscious commission of proscribed act
NA
When is criminal law jdx and venue proper in VA?
JDX: VA courts may exercise jdx if the offense was committed wholly or partly in the state
venue: trial must take place in the city or county where the crime occurred. (place of crime can be proved by circumstantial evidence, but must prove a “strong presumption”
What is the burden of proof in criminal cases?
prosecution must prove EACH ELEMENT of the crime, beyond a reasonable doubt.
For defenses, once a defense is raised by D, the prosecution must disprove each element of the defense beyond a reasonable doubt. (EXCEPT for INSANITY, most states require it proven by a preponderance of the evidence)
What are the elements of criminal Larceny?
1) TAKING (exercising control)
2) Asportation (MOVING - little movement ok, but has to be adverse to owner)
3) Corporal personal property of another (can’t be real estate)
4) from possession of another (someone with a greater right to possession)
5) wrongfully (either without permissions or by deception)
6) with intent to permanently deprive (at the time of the taking-unless intent formed later during continuing trespass)
What are the element of criminal embezzlement?
1) Possession of property under trust agreement (has to be more than mere custody)
2) Coversion of that property (use contrary to terms of the agreement)
3) w/intent to defraud (do not need intent to permanently deprive)
What are the elements of False Pretenses?
1) obtaining title to property from another
2) by means of a misrepreentation of past or present fact
a) not future facts or unkept promises)
b) failing to correct a misunderstanding
3) w/ intent to defraud
What are the elements of Receiving Stolen Property?
1) Receiving (taking possession of property)
2) of property acquired by larceny
3) knowing that proprty is stolen (must be stolen when received)
4) w/ intent to permanently deprive owner
What is robbery?
Larceny in which property is taken by either Force, or Threats (imminent, fear of harm, cause reasonable apprehension of immediate harm in a reasonable person)
What are extortion elements?
OBTAINING PROPERTY by means of NON-ROBBERY THREATS (threat of non-physical harm, or physcial harm that is not immediate)
Forgery?
1) making or altering a writing.
2) so that it is false
3) w/ intent to defraud
Uttering?
1) offering as genuine
2) a forged instrument
3) w/ intent to defraud
Malicious Mischeif?
1) destroying or damaging someone else’s property, w/intent to defraud
What is larceny in Virginia?
Any crime that would be larceny, embezzlement or false pretenses in VA, is called larceny.
- Grand Larceny -
a)$5 or more physically from the person
b) OR taking goods and chattels not from the person worth $200 or more
c) OR taking firearms regardless of value)
b and c also called simple larceny
-Petty Larceny - lesser amounts
What is extortion in Virginia?
THREATENING INJURY to the CHARACTER, PERSON or PROPERTY of another OR ACCUSING another of any OFFENSE thereby extorting money, property, pecuniary benefit…..
-Or Sending a note threatening to kill or do great bodily harm to victim or family
What are the elements of Burglary?
1) entry (can by by instrument) (can be entry into separate room - if already rightfully in a house)
2) breaking (requires only some force)
3) Dwelling (actually used as sleeping place)
4) at night
5) w/ intent to commit felony (AT time of entry) - does not need to carry out intent to be guilty
Burglary in VA?
Federal burglary w/o breaking requirement and nighttime requirement. Expanded places covered and intent
Elements of Arson?
a) malicious (awareness of high risk)
b) burning (phsyical damage, by fire)
c) dwelling
Virginia Arson?
malicious burning of ANY building. includes explosive devices. BUildings dont include outhouses
elements of criminal battery?
1) unlawful
2) application of force
3) resulting in either bodily injury or offensive touching
- mental state = general intent
elements of criminal assault?
attempted battery OR intentional creation (by more than just words) of a reasonable apprehension in the mind of the victim of immediate bodily harm
-mental state = specific intent
Elements of Murder?
Causation + Malice Aforethought
What is Malice Aforethought for purposes of murder?
1) intent to kill OR
2) intent to cause serious bodily harm
3) awareness of a extremely high risk that death will result OR
4) intent to commit felony
What are the elements of felony murder?
Accidental deaths caused during commission of a felony are murder.
Exception: if D has a defense to underlying felony, than cannot be felony murder.
The Death must have ben forseeable OR felony must have been dangerous (co-felons are also guilty if death was forseeable to them)
What is Voluntary Manslaughter?
intentional killing otherwise murder is reduced to VM, if:
1) objectively reasonable provocation
2) whcih caused the D to Kill
3) D acted before an objectively sufficient colling period
What is Involuntary Manslaughter?
killed either in the course of commiting a misdemeanor; or w/ criminal negligence
What are the levels of homicide in virginia?
1) Capital Murder: - willful, delibrate, and premeditated murder (under 14 difference aggravating circumstances)
2) 1st Degree
3) 2nd Degree
4) Felony Murder
5) manslaughter
What are the elements of VA, manslaugter?
- voluntary (killing w/o malice-heat of passion) and
- involuntary (accidental killing during unlawful act - not felony) OR during perfomrance of lawful act amount to criminal negligence
Elements of False Imprisonment?
1) unlawful
2) confinement
3) w/o persons consent
- General intent
Elements of Kidnapping?
1) Either: confining/restraining or Moving a person
2) without authority of law
Elements of Aggravated Kidnapping?
kidnapping w/ purpose to collect ransom OR purpose to commit robbery or rape; or victim is a child
What is Kidnapping in Virginia?
If:
1) by force, intimidation or deception
2) without legal justification or excuse
3) seizes, physically detains, takes, transports or secretes
4) another person
5) w/ intent to deprive person of liberty or conceal from another person, authority, institution lawfully entitled to his charge
(MOVEMENT, not required in VA)
What is the VA law on Accomplice liability?
1) in felony cases, accesories before the fact and pincipals in the 2nd degress may be convicted and punished in all respcets as the princpal in teh 1st degree (except for murder cases- unless murder for hire)
2) no conviction by principal in 1st degree required, but must be shown crime has been committed
3) Withdrawal - before completion, by acts or words, must be made in due time
What is Attempt? and how is it different in VA?
a) go far enough, do something constituing a substantial step towards commission of the crime
b) w/intent to commit the crime
VA distinction: direct act, done w/intent to commit a crime, but which falls shore of completing the crime
What are the general rules about impossibiliuty?
‘Legal” impossibility is a defense (if D thinks its illegal but its not), Factual impossibility is not (can’t actually commit the crime, but D thinks he can).
Elements of Solicitation?
1) Asking someone to commitan offense
2) with intent that person commit the offense
Elements of Conspiracy?
1) entering into an agreement to commit a crime; and
2) w/intent that the crime be committed.
- usually requires OVERT act - does not merge
- all conspirators are guilty if commited in futherance of csheme and forseeable result of scheme
- to withdraw must be communicated to all other members of conspiracy
Ingorance or mistake of Fact defense is only available for which types of crimes?
specific intent
When is a mistake of law an available defense?
only if a D’s affirmatively believed that the criminal law did not prohibit her conduct is a defense, and: the
1) belief was objectively reasonable
2) the defendant relied upon
a) a statute later held invalid
b) a judicial decision later overuled
c) an official interpretation of the law by a public official
* CANNOT BE BASED ON BAD ADVICE FROM COUNSEL
What is the M’Naughten insanity test?
D is entitled to acquittal only if facts show that the time of the crime:
1) d had serious mental disease or defect
2) this caused a defect in his reasoning
3) as a resul, he did not either
a) understand the nature of the act he was doing or understand his act was wrong
For insanity defenses, loss of control is only availble under:
1) statutory MPC OR
2) irresistable impulse test
(NOT M’Naughton)
What is the Virginia Insanity law?
1) Can use either M’Naughton or irresistable impulse test - The D has the burden of proving, and the jury decided.
2) The D must give the Commonwealth’s attorney written notice at least 60 days prior to trial that it is D’s intent to raise an insanity defense
What is perjury?
Willful act of falsely promising to tell the truth, either verbally or in writing, about material matters
What is subornation of perjury
Persuading someone else to commit perjury
what is bribery?
Corrupt payment of something of value for purposes of influencing an official in the discharge of his official duties
* Modribern law: can bribe non-officials
When can you use non-deadly force in self defense?
Any time you reasonably fear an imminent unlawful harm
When can you use deadly force in self-defense?
Only if you reasonably believe that deadly force will be used against you
What crime is duress not a defense to?
intentional murder
VA: Difference between a principal in the second degree or accessory before the fact
P2 is present (or constructively) present, ABF is not
Innocent agent doctrine
D causes an innocent person to commit the criminal act; D is guilty of the crime
VA: Capital murder exception
Principal commits capital murder. Accomplices are guilty only of first-degree murder.
* Exception: D hires someone to kill V or D orders killing as part of continuing criminal enterprise or act of terrorism
VA: Accessory after the fact
1) X actually committed crime
2) Knows X committed crime
3) Receive, comfort, or assist
4) Harbor a fugitive; conceal evidence1) X actually committed crime
VA: Exceptions to AAF
Close family members and employees
VA’s two tests for insanity
1) Cognitive test: M’Naughten test
2) Volitional test: Irresistible impulse test
Warrantless searches allowed in 8 situtations
(1) Exigent circumstances;
(2) Search incident to arrest;
(3) consent; (voluntary and intelligent)
(4) automobile (probable cause to believe that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in vehicle)
(5) plain view;
(6) inventory;
(7) special needs; (random drug testing)
(8) Terry stop and frisks.
Officer’s good faith overcomes constitutional deficits in probably cause and particularity with 4 exceptions including
(1) affidavit so egregiously lacking in probable cause
(2) the warrant is so facially deficient in particularity that officers could not reasonably presume it to be valid;
(3) The affidavit relied upon by the magistrate contains knowing reckless falsehoods; and
(4) the magistrate is bias in favor of prosecution.
Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Exceptions
(1) Break in the causal link;
(2) Independent source;
(3) inevitable discovery;
(4) Attenuation from original unlawful event.
Virginia Bail
Accused has a right to bail unless there is probable cause to believe the accused:
(1) will not appear for trial; or
(2) poses an unreasonable danger to himself or the public.
Fewest Number of Jurors in VA Criminal Trial
Felony: 12
Misdemeanor: 7
What are the unprotected Items (8) where warrantless searches are permissible?
(1) Paint Scrapings
(2) Account records
(3) airspace and anything seen below it
(4) garbage left at the curb for collection
(5) voice exemplars
(6) odor
(7) handwriting
(8) open fields
all involve knowing exposure to third parties
Fourth Amendment Protects Individuals from searches and seizures of their
(1) persons
(2) houses
(3) papers; and
(4) affects
In VA, when must notice be provided to raise the insanity defense?
60 days before trial
If the jury accepts the insanity defense, what is the verdict?
Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity (NGRI)
In VA, can an expert testify that d’s mental disease/defect negated his mens rea?
No, VA does not recognize “diminished capacity”
VA: Is voluntary intoxication a defense?
Generally no, but it can negate the premeditation element of first-degree murder