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75-412: Note: Varies by jurisdiction Note: Varies by jurisdiction Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse committed with the necessary intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisdiction . This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide , such as manslaughter . Manslaughter
150-605: A de facto maximum of life in prison since no maximum is specified. Some civil law jurisdictions, such as the French Code , use murder (intentional homicide) or manslaughter (culpable homicide), and a Felony-Murder (homicide praeter-intentionnel ). Italian criminal law also provides for murder (intentional homicide, art. 575 c.p.), Felony-Murder (homicide " preterintenzionale " art. 584 c.p.) and manslaughter (homicide "colposo" art. 589 c.p.): A legal distinction between intentional and unintentional homicide
225-415: A public wrong . According to common law, murder is considered to be malum in se , that is, an act which is evil within itself. An act such as murder is wrong or evil by its very nature, and it is the very nature of the act which does not require any specific detailing or definition in the law to consider murder a crime. Some jurisdictions still take a common law view of murder. In such jurisdictions, what
300-553: A charge of murder, which, if accepted by the jury, would convert what might otherwise have been a murder charge into manslaughter. In Australia, specifically New South Wales, manslaughter is referred to, however not defined, in the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). Manslaughter exists in two forms in New South Wales: Voluntary or Involuntary Manslaughter. In New South Wales, in cases of voluntary manslaughter, both
375-515: A child locked in a car on a hot day. In some jurisdictions, such as some U.S. States, there exists the specific crime of vehicular or intoxication manslaughter . An equivalent in Canada is causing death by criminal negligence under the Criminal Code , punishable by a maximum penalty of life imprisonment . On the mens rea , or state of mind, or the circumstances under which
450-403: A condition that affected their judgment at the time. Depression , post-traumatic stress disorder and medication side-effects are examples of conditions that may be taken into account when assessing responsibility. Mental disorder may apply to a wide range of disorders including psychosis caused by schizophrenia and dementia , and excuse the person from the need to undergo the stress of
525-431: A conscious disregard of an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily injury. In Australian jurisdictions, the unreasonable risk must amount to a foreseen probability of death (or grievous bodily harm in most states), as opposed to possibility. Under state of mind (iv), the felony-murder doctrine, the felony committed must be an inherently dangerous felony, such as burglary, arson, rape, robbery or kidnapping. Importantly,
600-562: A criminal action...." Murder with specified aggravating circumstances is often punished more harshly. Depending on the jurisdiction, such circumstances may include: In the United States and Canada, these murders are referred to as first-degree or aggravated murders. Under English criminal law , murder always carries a mandatory life sentence , but is not classified into degrees. Penalties for murder committed under aggravating circumstances are often higher under English law than
675-422: A defendant is provoked to commit homicide. This is sometimes described as a crime of passion . In most cases, the provocation must induce rage or anger in the defendant, although some cases have held that fright, terror, or desperation will suffice. Assisted suicide is suicide committed with the aid of another person, sometimes a physician. In some places, including parts of the United States, assisted suicide
750-412: A defendant to be convicted of intentionally murdering a person they did not know existed. Some countries allow conditions that "affect the balance of the mind" to be regarded as mitigating circumstances . This means that a person may be found guilty of "manslaughter" on the basis of "diminished responsibility" rather than being found guilty of murder, if it can be proved that the killer was suffering from
825-418: A finding of intent to kill, such as "loss of control" or "diminished responsibility", may result in the reduction of a murder charge to voluntary manslaughter. The four states of mind recognised as constituting "malice" are: Under state of mind (i), intent to kill, the deadly weapon rule applies. Thus, if the defendant intentionally uses a deadly weapon or instrument against the victim, such use authorises
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#1732773389157900-646: A general term for homicide was in use in medieval England by the late 1200s, during which time a distinction was forming between homicide committed in necessary self-defence (pardoned without culpability) and homicide committed by accident (pardoned but with moral blame). From 1390, homicide in necessary self-defence or by misadventure became "pardons of course", meaning that the Chancery would issue them by default. Homicide in necessary self-defence would later be acquitted, rather than pardoned. The use of "manslaughter" to cover homicides other than murder emerged by 1547, in
975-456: A high risk that death or grievous bodily harm would follow that the doing of the act merited criminal punishment. Canadian law distinguishes between justifiable (e.g., self-defence), accidental, and culpable homicide. If a death is deemed a culpable homicide, it generally falls under one of four categories (first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, and infanticide). Canadian law defines manslaughter as "a homicide committed without
1050-407: A permissive inference of intent to kill. Examples of deadly weapons and instruments include but are not limited to guns, knives, deadly toxins or chemicals or gases and even vehicles when intentionally used to harm one or more victims. Under state of mind (iii), an "abandoned and malignant heart", the killing must result from the defendant's conduct involving a reckless indifference to human life and
1125-406: A person who fails to stop at a red traffic light while driving a vehicle and hits someone crossing the street could be found to intend or be reckless as to assault or criminal damage (see DPP v Newbury ). There is no intent to kill, and a resulting death would not be considered murder, but would be considered involuntary manslaughter. The accused's responsibility for causing death is constructed from
1200-741: A person, murder; mortal sin, crime; punishment, torment, misery"; and *murþrijô "murderer; homicide" (from the verb *murþrijaną "to murder"), giving Old English myrþra "homicide, murder; murderer". There was a third word for "murder" in Proto-Germanic, continuing Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tós "dead" (compare Latin mors ), giving Proto-Germanic *murþą "death, killing, murder" and Old English morþ "death, crime, murder" (compare German Mord ). The -d- first attested in Middle English mordre, mourdre, murder, murdre could have been influenced by Old French murdre , itself derived from
1275-409: A person, of sound memory and discretion, unlawfully kills any reasonable creature in being and under the king's peace, with malice aforethought, either express or implied. At common law, murder was normally punishable by death. The elements of common law murder are: In contrast with manslaughter , murder requires the mental element known as malice aforethought. Mitigating factors that weigh against
1350-567: A reasonable person in the position of the accused would have realised or recognised that the act carried an appreciable risk of serious injury. Manslaughter by criminal negligence, on the other hand, finds its authority in the Victorian case of Nydam v R , confirmed by the High Court of Australia in R v Lavender and Burns v R . In Nydam v R , the Court described the office at [445] in
1425-446: A trial as to liability. Usually, sociopathy and other personality disorders are not legally considered insanity. In some jurisdictions, following the pre-trial hearing to determine the extent of the disorder, the defense of "not guilty by reason of insanity" may be used to get a not guilty verdict. This defense has two elements: Under New York law, for example: § 40.15 Mental disease or defect. In any prosecution for an offense, it
1500-415: Is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder . The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th century BC. The definition of manslaughter differs among legal jurisdictions . For voluntary manslaughter, the offender had intent to kill or seriously harm, but acted "in
1575-401: Is a less serious offence than murder . In England and Wales , the usual practice is to prefer a charge of murder, with the judge or defence able to introduce manslaughter as an option (see lesser included offence ). The jury then decides whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty of either murder or manslaughter. Manslaughter may be either voluntary or involuntary, depending on whether
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#17327733891571650-438: Is also referred to as "unlawful act" manslaughter. It is based on the doctrine of constructive malice, whereby the malicious intent inherent in the commission of a crime is considered to apply to the consequences of that crime. It occurs when someone kills, without intent, in the course of committing an unlawful act. The malice involved in the crime is transferred to the killing, resulting in a charge of manslaughter. For example,
1725-408: Is an affirmative defence that when the defendant engaged in the proscribed conduct, he lacked criminal responsibility by reason of mental disease or defect. Such lack of criminal responsibility means that at the time of such conduct, as a result of mental disease or defect, he lacked substantial capacity to know or appreciate either: 1. The nature and consequences of such conduct; or 2. That such conduct
1800-476: Is an area with a set of laws and under the control of a system of courts or government entity that is different from neighbouring areas. Each state in a federation such as Australia , Germany and the United States forms a separate jurisdiction. However, certain laws in a federal state are sometimes uniform across the constituent states and enforced by a set of federal courts; with the result that
1875-492: Is considered to be murder is defined by precedent case law or previous decisions of the courts of law. However, although the common law is by nature flexible and adaptable, in the interests both of certainty and of securing convictions, most common law jurisdictions have codified their criminal law and now have statutory definitions of murder. Although laws vary by country, there are circumstances of exclusion that are common in many legal systems. All jurisdictions require that
1950-482: Is driving carefully, but whose car nevertheless hits a child darting out into the street, has not committed manslaughter. A person who pushes off an aggressive drunk, who then falls and dies, has probably not committed manslaughter, although in some jurisdictions it may depend on whether "excessive force" was used or other factors. As manslaughter is not defined by legislation in Australia, common law decisions provide
2025-459: Is killing committed in the absence of malice , such as in the case of voluntary manslaughter brought about by reasonable provocation , or diminished capacity . Involuntary manslaughter , where it is recognized, is a killing that lacks all but the most attenuated guilty intent , recklessness. Most societies consider murder to be an extremely serious crime, and thus believe that a person convicted of murder should receive harsh punishments for
2100-481: Is maintained; when differentiating between murder and manslaughter, the only relevant factor is the existence or not of premeditation (rather than the existence or not of mitigating or aggravated factors). Manslaughter (non-premeditated intentional killing) with aggravating factors is punished more severely, but it is not classified as murder, because murder is an offense which always requires premeditation. According to Blackstone, English common law identified murder as
2175-511: Is punishable as manslaughter. In other countries such as Switzerland and Canada, and in some U.S. states, as long as legal safeguards are observed, assisted suicide is legal. Involuntary manslaughter is the killing of a human being without intent of doing so, either expressed or implied. It is distinguished from voluntary manslaughter by the absence of intention. It is normally divided into two categories, constructive manslaughter and criminally negligent manslaughter. Constructive manslaughter
2250-418: Is required to warrant criminal liability. A related concept is that of willful blindness , which is where a defendant intentionally puts themselves in a position where they will be unaware of facts which would render them liable. Criminally negligent manslaughter occurs where there is an omission to act when there is a duty to do so, or a failure to perform a duty owed, which leads to a death. The existence of
2325-525: Is subdivided into first-degree murder or otherwise. The modern English word "murder" descends from the Proto-Indo-European *mŕ̥-trom which meant "killing", a noun derived from *mer- "to die". Proto-Germanic , in fact, had two nouns derived from this word, later merging into the modern English noun: *murþrą "death, killing, murder" (directly from Proto-Indo-European *mŕ̥-trom ), whence Old English morðor "secret or unlawful killing of
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2400-425: Is the crime of wrongfully and intentionally causing the death of another human being (also known as murder) after rationally considering the timing or method of doing so, in order to either increase the likelihood of success, or to evade detection or apprehension. State laws in the United States vary as to definitions of "premeditation". In some states, premeditation may be construed as taking place mere seconds before
2475-523: The actus reus (literally guilty act ) and mens rea (literally guilty mind ) for murder are proven but the defendant has a partial defence, such as extreme provocation or diminished responsibility. In cases of involuntary manslaughter, the actus reus for murder is present but there is insufficient mens rea to establish such a charge. There are two categories of involuntary manslaughter at common law: manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act and manslaughter by criminal negligence. The authority for
2550-582: The Ex Post Facto Clause of Article I of the United States Constitution . The potential effect of fully abolishing the rule can be seen in the case of 74-year-old William Barnes, charged with the murder of a Philadelphia police officer Walter T. Barclay Jr., who he had shot nearly 41 years previously. Barnes had served 16 years in prison for attempting to murder Barkley, but when the policeman died on August 19, 2007, this
2625-612: The Supreme Court of California in 1994 as not requiring any proof of the viability of the fetus as a prerequisite to a murder conviction. This holding has two implications. Firstly, a defendant in California can be convicted of murder for killing a fetus which the mother herself could have terminated without committing a crime. And secondly, as stated by Justice Stanley Mosk in his dissent, because women carrying nonviable fetuses may not be visibly pregnant, it may be possible for
2700-483: The United Kingdom is a notable exception since it has three separate jurisdictions because of its three separate legal systems . Also, China has the separate jurisdictions of Hong Kong and Macao . This article related to international law is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Manslaughter Note: Varies by jurisdiction Note: Varies by jurisdiction Manslaughter
2775-419: The actus reus and mens rea of involuntary manslaughter by an unlawful and dangerous act is the High Court of Australia case of Wilson v R . This case determined that the act that caused the death must breach the criminal law and that the act must carry an appreciable risk of serious injury ( actus reus ). Regarding the mens rea , the court held that the accused must intend to commit the unlawful act and that
2850-474: The criminal code classifies murder as either first- or second-degree. The former type of murder is often called premeditated murder, although premeditation is not the only way murder can be classified as first-degree. In the Netherlands , the traditional strict distinction between premeditated intentional killing (classed as murder, moord ) and non-premeditated intentional killing (manslaughter, doodslag )
2925-427: The 15-year minimum non-parole period that otherwise serves as a starting point for a murder committed by an adult. A legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions broadens the crime of murder: when an offender kills in the commission of a dangerous crime, (regardless of intent), he or she is guilty of murder. The felony murder rule is often justified by its supporters as a means of preventing dangerous felonies, but
3000-620: The Germanic noun via Frankish *murþra (compare Old High German murdreo, murdiro ), though the same sound development can be seen with burden (from burthen ). The alternative murther (attested up to the 19th century) springs directly from the Old English forms. Middle English mordre is a verb from Anglo-Saxon myrðrian from Proto-Germanic *murþrijaną , or, according to the Oxford English Dictionary , from
3075-466: The U.S. further distinguish third-degree murder , but they differ significantly in which kinds of murders they classify as second-degree versus third-degree. For example, Minnesota defines third-degree murder as depraved-heart murder , whereas Florida defines third-degree murder as felony murder (except when the underlying felony is specifically listed in the definition of first-degree murder). Some jurisdictions also distinguish premeditated murder. This
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3150-520: The Uniform Penal Code, such as California, diminished capacity may be a defense. For example, Dan White used this defense to obtain a manslaughter conviction, instead of murder, in the assassination of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk . Afterward, California amended its penal code to provide "As a matter of public policy there shall be no defense of diminished capacity, diminished responsibility, or irresistible impulse in
3225-424: The United States, many jurisdictions have abolished the rule as well. Abolition of the rule has been accomplished by enactment of statutory criminal codes, which had the effect of displacing the common-law definitions of crimes and corresponding defenses. In 2001 the Supreme Court of the United States held that retroactive application of a state supreme court decision abolishing the year-and-a-day rule did not violate
3300-488: The accused has the required mens rea for murder. The Homicide Act 1957 and Coroners and Justice Act 2009 are relevant acts. Voluntary manslaughter occurs when the defendant avails themself of two statutory defences described in the Homicide Act 1957 (diminished responsibility and a suicide pact; provocation was a third but this was replaced by loss of control in 2010). Involuntary manslaughter occurs when
3375-401: The agent has no intention ( mens rea ) of committing murder but caused the death of another through recklessness or criminal negligence . The crime of involuntary manslaughter can be sub-divided into two main categories; constructive manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter. Manslaughter is a crime in the United States . Definitions can vary among jurisdictions, but the U.S. follows
3450-399: The basis for determining whether an act resulting in death amounts to manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act. To be found guilty of manslaughter by an unlawful and dangerous act, the accused must be shown to have committed an unlawful act which is contrary to the criminal law, and that a reasonable person in the position of the accused would have known that by their act, they were exposing
3525-433: The case of Ryan Holle shows it can be used very widely. The felony-murder reflects the versari in re illicita: the offender is objectively responsible for the event of the unintentional crime; in fact the figure of the civil law systems corresponding to felony murder is the preterintentional homicide (art. 222-7 French penal code, art. 584 Italian penal code, art. 227 German penal code etc.). Felony murder contrasts with
3600-421: The cause of death, breaking the chain of causation ; and also means that the responsible person does not have a charge of murder "hanging over their head indefinitely". Subject to any statute of limitations , the accused could still be charged with an offense reflecting the seriousness of the initial assault. With advances in modern medicine, most countries have abandoned a fixed time period and test causation on
3675-427: The duty is essential because the law does not impose criminal liability for a failure to act unless a specific duty is owed to the victim. It is most common in the case of professionals who are grossly negligent in the course of their employment. An example is where a doctor fails to notice a patient's oxygen supply has disconnected and the patient dies ( R v Adomako and R v Perreau ). Another example could be leaving
3750-438: The effect of giving birth to the child or by reason of the effect of lactation consequent upon the birth of the child". Since independence, death sentences for murder in such cases had always been commuted ; the new act was intended "to eliminate all the terrible ritual of the black cap and the solemn words of the judge pronouncing sentence of death in those cases ... where it is clear to the Court and to everybody, except perhaps
3825-472: The facts of the case. This is known as "delayed death" and cases where this was applied or was attempted to be applied go back to at least 1966. In England and Wales, the "year-and-a-day rule" was abolished by the Law Reform (Year and a Day Rule) Act 1996 . However, if death occurs three years or more after the original attack then prosecution can take place only with the attorney-general 's approval. In
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#17327733891573900-482: The fault in committing what might have been a minor criminal act. Reckless driving or reckless handling of a potentially lethal weapon may result in a death that is deemed manslaughter. The DPP v Newbury case had redefined the meaning of murder in the Australian constitution, and reformed in order to include a mens rea assessment. Involuntary manslaughter may be distinguished from accidental death. A person who
3975-419: The federal state forms a single jurisdiction for that purpose. A jurisdiction may also prosecute for crimes committed outside its jurisdiction once the perpetrator returns. In some cases, a citizen of another jurisdiction outside its own, can be extradited to a jurisdiction in which the crime is illegal even if it was not committed in that jurisdiction. Unitary state are usually single jurisdictions, but
4050-429: The following terms: In order to establish manslaughter by criminal negligence, it is sufficient if the prosecution shows that the act which caused the death was done by the accused consciously and voluntarily, without any intention of causing death or grievous bodily harm but in circumstances which involved such a great falling short of the standard of care which a reasonable man would have exercised and which involved such
4125-471: The general principle that manslaughter involves causing the death of another person in a manner less culpable than murder , and observes the distinction between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. Manslaughter is a crime in Japan under the title of "injury causing death". It is defined as "causing another person to suffer injury resulting in death". The minimum penalty for manslaughter is three years, with
4200-453: The intention to cause death, although there may have been an intention to cause harm". There are two broad categories of manslaughter: unlawful act, and criminal negligence. Unlawful act is when a person commits a crime that unintentionally results in the death of another person. Criminal negligence is when the homicide was the result of an act that showed wanton or reckless disregard for the lives of others. In English law , manslaughter
4275-406: The killing occurred ( mitigating factors ), manslaughter is usually broken down into two distinct categories: voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter . However, this is not the case in all jurisdictions, for example, in the U.S. state of Florida. In some jurisdictions, such as the U.K., Canada, and some Australian states, "adequate provocation" may be a partial defense to
4350-637: The legal distinction between murder and manslaughter is clear, it is not unknown for a jury to find a murder defendant guilty of the lesser offense. The jury might sympathize with the defendant (e.g. in a crime of passion , or in the case of a bullied victim who kills their tormentor), and the jury may wish to protect the defendant from a sentence of life imprisonment or execution. Some jurisdictions divide murder by degrees. The distinction between first- and second-degree murder exists, for example, in Canadian murder law and U.S. murder law . Some US states maintain
4425-517: The moment" under circumstances that could cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed. There are mitigating circumstances that reduce culpability, such as when the defendant kills only with an intent to cause serious bodily harm. Voluntary manslaughter in some jurisdictions is a lesser included offense of murder. The traditional mitigating factor was provocation ; however, others have been added in various jurisdictions. The most common type of voluntary manslaughter occurs when
4500-474: The murder. Premeditated murder is one of the most serious forms of homicide, and is punished more severely than manslaughter or other types of homicide, often with a life sentence without the possibility of parole , or in some countries, the death penalty . In the U.S., federal law ( 18 U.S.C. § 1111(a) ) criminalizes premeditated murder, felony murder and second-degree murder committed under situations where federal jurisdiction applies. In Canada,
4575-508: The noun. Opponents of abortion consider abortion a form of murder, treating the foetus as a person. In some countries, a fetus is a legal person who can be murdered, and killing a pregnant person is considered a double homicide. The eighteenth-century English jurist William Blackstone (citing Edward Coke ), in his Commentaries on the Laws of England set out the common law definition of murder, which by this definition occurs when
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#17327733891574650-496: The offense of capital murder . The most common division is between first- and second-degree murder. Generally, second-degree murder is common law murder, and first-degree is an aggravated form. The aggravating factors of first-degree murder depend on the jurisdiction, but may include a specific intent to kill, premeditation, or deliberation. In some, murders committed by acts such as strangulation , poisoning , or lying in wait are also treated as first-degree murder. A few states in
4725-506: The pain of the victim). After the last reform of the Spanish Criminal Code , in force since July 1, 2015, another circumstance that turns homicide ( homicidio ) into assassination is the desire to facilitate the commission of another crime or to prevent it from being discovered. As with most legal terms, the precise definition of murder varies between jurisdictions and is usually codified in some form of legislation. Even when
4800-492: The penalty for mothers who kill their children of up to one year of age. The United States does not have such a law, but mentally ill mothers may plead not guilty by reason of insanity." In the law of the Republic of Ireland , infanticide was made a separate crime from murder in 1949, applicable for the mother of a baby under one year old where "the balance of her mind was disturbed by reason of her not having fully recovered from
4875-601: The principle of guilt, for which in England it was, at least formally, abolished in 1957, in Canada it was quashed by the Supreme Court, while in the USA it continues to survive. In some common law jurisdictions, a defendant accused of murder is not guilty if the victim survives for longer than one year and one day after the attack. This reflects the likelihood that if the victim dies, other factors will have contributed to
4950-399: The purposes of retribution , deterrence , rehabilitation , or incapacitation . In most countries, a person convicted of murder generally receives a long-term prison sentence, a life sentence , or capital punishment . Some countries, states, and territories, including the United Kingdom and other countries with English-derived common law , mandate life imprisonment for murder, whether it
5025-446: The underlying felony cannot be a lesser included offense such as assault, otherwise all criminal homicides would be murder as all are felonies. In Spanish criminal law, asesinato (literally 'assassination'): takes place when any of these requirements concur: Treachery (the use of means to avoid risk for the aggressor or to ensure that the crime goes unpunished), price or reward (financial gain) or viciousness (deliberately increasing
5100-448: The unfortunate accused, that the sentence will never be carried out." In Russia, murder of a newborn child by the mother has been a separate crime since 1996. For a killing to be considered murder in nine out of fifty states in the US, there normally needs to be an element of intent. A defendant may argue that they took precautions not to kill, that the death could not have been anticipated, or
5175-400: The victim be a natural person; that is, a human being who was still alive before being murdered. In other words, under the law one cannot murder a corpse , a corporation, a non-human animal, or any other non-human organism such as a plant or bacterium. California 's murder statute, penal code section 187 , expressly mentioned a fetus as being capable of being killed, and was interpreted by
5250-538: The victim to an "appreciable risk of serious injury". Criminally negligent manslaughter is variously referred to as criminally negligent homicide in the United States , and gross negligence manslaughter in England and Wales . In Scotland and some Commonwealth of Nations jurisdictions the offence of culpable homicide might apply. It occurs where death results from serious negligence , or, in some jurisdictions, serious recklessness . A high degree of negligence
5325-534: The worst being forsteall (killing by ambush). Murdra was a separate type of aggravated (secret) homicide under Anglo-Saxon law; William the Conqueror defined it narrowly as a fine that would be charged on a hundred following the slaying of a foreigner (originally a Norman, but intermarriage would end the distinction between Normans and English by the 13th century). By 1348, the association between murdrum and malice aforethought emerged. "Manslaughter" as
5400-447: Was alleged to be from complications of the wounds suffered from the shooting – and Barnes was charged with his murder. He was acquitted on May 24, 2010. According to Peter Morrall, the motivations for murder fit into the following 4 categories: Morall takes a biological view of offending when he insists the risk factors that may increase the chance that somebody will commit a murder include: Jurisdiction (area) A jurisdiction
5475-733: Was introduced in Athenian law in 409 BC, when the legal code of Draco indicated that intentional homicide ( hekousios phonos or phonos ek pronoias ) was punishable by death. The language is ambiguous as to unintentional homicide ( akousios phonos ), but it may have been punishable by exile. However, academic David D Phillips says that these categories "do not correspond to the common-law categories of murder and manslaughter either in their original significance or in their present definitions", because under Athenian law intentional homicide would include both murder and voluntary manslaughter. Anglo-Saxon law recognised particular degrees of homicide, with
5550-441: Was unavoidable. As a general rule, manslaughter constitutes reckless killing, but manslaughter also includes criminally negligent (i.e. grossly negligent) homicide. Unintentional killing that results from an involuntary action generally cannot constitute murder. After examining the evidence, a judge or jury (depending on the jurisdiction) would determine whether the killing was intentional or unintentional. In jurisdictions using
5625-567: Was wrong. Under the French Penal Code : Article 122-1 Those who successfully argue a defense based on a mental disorder are usually referred to mandatory clinical treatment until they are certified safe to be released back into the community, rather than prison. Postpartum depression (also known as post-natal depression) is recognized in some countries as a mitigating factor in cases of infanticide . According to Susan Friedman, "Two dozen nations have infanticide laws that decrease
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