Rando 6 page notes Flashcards
Regina v Dudley and Stephens, four men on boat case
Guilty of murder. Self-preservation alone does not qualify under the necessity defense.
Retribution
Focuses on the culpability of someone who commits a crime.
Utilitarian
Punishment should benefit happiness. Focus on the trehat of future crime/harm.
Actus reus parts
Conduct, circumstances, result
Mens rea hierarchy
Purpose, knowledge, reckless, negligence,
Causal link?
Between conduct and result if result is part of AR.
Does conduct need to be voluntary?
Yes.
Temporal concurrence?
Yes between AR and MR. No between conduct and result.
People v Newton: “unconciscious” case.
Involuntary unconsciousness is a complete defense, and jury should have been given those instructions. Criminal acts must be voluntary acts.
Martin v State: Drunken highway case
D wins. Involuntary act can’t be criminal.
People v Decina: Driving seizure case
D loses. Conduct was voluntary when he got into the car and started driving. Knew he was liable to have a seizure.
Jones v United states (omission), didn’t provide for son of family friend staying at house.
D wins. Not suffiicnet that there was a legal duty to the child.
Legal duties can come from
Certain status relationshisp (ex. parent/child, spousal, master to apprentice, shipmaster to crew, inkeeper to inebriated customer).
Contractual relationships.
Statute imposed duty.
If someone voluntarily assumes care and secludes a helpless person.
Wrongful creation of risk.
Innocnet creation of risk (in some jurisdictions).
Child drowning in ocean. “I’ll save you,” begin doing it, then give up and drowns. Other people at beach who could have helped. Legal duty?
Yes, there is a legal duty because you voluntarily assumed the care and might have hindred others from helping.
Professional swimmer sess a drowning and does nothing? Legal duty?
No.
Paid lifeguard sees a drowning child. Legal duty?
Yes, contractual relationship.
A accidently pushes B into pool, but then watches B drown. Legal duty?
innocent creation of risk. Depends on jurisdiction.
A wrongfully pushes B into the pool, watches drowning. Legal duty?
Yes.
Pope v state (ommission), took in woman and infant. Woman goes into MI episode and kills child. D does nothing.
D wins. Court find there was no preexisting duty when the mother was also there to care for the child. There must be a clear legal duty to hold D liable.
Regina v Cunningham (MR case), D stole gas meter, woman nextdoor exposed to gasleak. MR: “maliciously administer”
D wins. Maliciously administer means recklessly (foresaw the risk of harm and disregarded it). This was negligent at most.
Regina v Faulkner (MR), seaman on ship, tries to steal rum, lights ship on fire. MR. Harm is likely or probable to occur, and D disregards.
D wins.
State v Hazelwood, captain ran ship aground on reef causing oil spill. Civil negligence used.
D loses. Court wants to deter this behavior, so they find D guilty based on the civil negligence standard.
Santillanes v New Mexico (MR), D cuts nephew with knife. Child abuse?
No. Uses criminal negligence standard. Court wants to punish conduct that is morally culpable.
Criminal vs civil negligence???
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