Murder (United States law)

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In the United States, the law for murder varies by jurisdiction. In many US jurisdictions there is a hierarchy of acts, known collectively as homicide, of which first-degree murder and felony murder are the most serious, followed by second-degree murder and, in a few states, third-degree murder, followed by voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter which are not as serious, followed by reckless homicide and negligent homicide which are the least serious, and ending finally in justifiable homicide, which is not a crime. However, because there are at least 52 relevant jurisdictions, each with its own criminal code, this is a considerable simplification. [1]

Contents

Sentencing also varies widely depending upon the specific murder charge. "Life imprisonment" is a common penalty for first-degree murder, but its meaning varies widely. [2]

Capital punishment is a legal sentence in 27 states, [3] [4] and in the federal civilian and military legal systems, though 8 of these states and the federal government have indefinitely suspended the practice. The United States is unusual in actually performing executions, [5] with 34 states having performed executions since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. The methods of execution have varied, but the most common method since 1976 has been lethal injection. [6] In 2019 a total of 22 people were executed, [7] and 2,652 people were on death row. [8]

The federal Unborn Victims of Violence Act, enacted in 2004 and codified at 18 U.S. Code § 1841, [9] allows for a fetus to be treated as victims in crimes. Subsection (c) of that statute specifically prohibits prosecutions related to consented abortions and medical treatments. [9]

Jurisdiction

If murder is committed within the borders of a state, that state has jurisdiction, and in a similar way, if the crime is committed in the District of Columbia, the D.C. Superior Court (the equivalent of a state court in the District) retains jurisdiction, though in some cases involving U.S. government property or personnel, the federal courts may have exclusive jurisdiction. [10]

If, however, the victim is a federal official, an ambassador, consul or other foreign official under the protection of the United States, or if the crime took place on federal property or involved crossing state borders, or in a manner that substantially affects interstate commerce or national security, then the federal government also has jurisdiction. If a crime is not committed within any state, then federal jurisdiction is exclusive, for example vessels of the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Merchant Marine in international waters and U.S. military bases worldwide. Recently, the Supreme Court, in the McGirt decision, reaffirmed that major crimes within the reservation boundaries of Native American tribes, for which a tribal member is suspected, must be investigated and prosecuted by the federal, not state, government. Federal penalties will apply if found guilty.

In addition, murder by a member of the United States Armed Forces of a prisoner while under custody of the United States Armed Forces is in violation of Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and can result in the perpetrator being tried by a general court-martial, subjecting to certain types of jurisdictions within its own borders or with foreign nations.

Jurisdiction over the crime of murder can be complex as a result of the principle of "dual sovereignty" that is part of federalism. In cases where a murder involves both state and federal jurisdiction, the offender can be tried and punished separately for each crime without raising issues of double jeopardy, unless the court believes that the new prosecution is merely a "sham" forwarded by the prior prosecutor. [11] In the United States there is no statute of limitations on the crime of murder. [12]

Degrees

The first division of the general crime of murder into graded subcategories was enacted into the law of Pennsylvania in 1794. [13] This enactment is often explained in terms of a desire to narrow the scope of application of capital punishment in that state and in the other states which subsequently graded murder into "first" and "second" degrees. The English common law, which had been received into the laws of the U.S. states, at the time applied capital punishment to a large number of crimes; as a result, states statutorily divided the crime of murder into first and second degrees, and began applying capital punishment only to criminals convicted of first-degree murder. [14] By 1953 three states—namely Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin—had further created the subcategory of third-degree murder. [15]

States have adopted several different systems for classifying murders by degree. The most common separates murder into two degrees (first- and second-degree murder), and treats voluntary and involuntary manslaughter as separate crimes that do not constitute murder. [16]

First-degree murder
Any intentional killing that is willful and premeditated with malice aforethought. Felony murder, a charge that may be filed against a defendant who is involved in a dangerous crime where a death results from the crime, [16] is typically first-degree, but may be second-degree. [17]
Second-degree murder
Any intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned. A situation in which the killer intends only to inflict serious bodily harm, knowing this could result in death but with no specific intent to kill, also constitutes second-degree murder. "Depraved-heart murder", in which the killer has no specific intent to inflict harm but knowingly commits acts with a high probability of causing death or serious harm, demonstrating a malignant indifference to human life, is typically second-degree murder. [18]
Voluntary manslaughter
Sometimes called a crime of passion murder, this is any intentional killing that involves no prior intent to kill and which was committed under such circumstances that would "cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed". Both this and second-degree murder are committed on the spot under a spur-of-the-moment choice, but the two differ in the magnitude of the circumstances surrounding the crime. For example, a bar fight that results in death would ordinarily constitute second-degree murder. If that same bar fight stemmed from a discovery of infidelity, however, it may be voluntary manslaughter. [19]
Involuntary manslaughter
A killing that stems from a lack of intention to cause death but involving an intentional or negligent act leading to death. A drunk driving–related death is typically involuntary manslaughter (see also vehicular homicide, causing death by dangerous driving, gross negligence manslaughter and causing death by criminal negligence for international equivalents). Note that the "unintentional" element here refers to the lack of intent to bring about the death. All three crimes above feature an intent to kill, whereas involuntary manslaughter is "unintentional", because the killer did not intend for a death to result from their intentional actions. If there is a presence of intention it relates only to the intent to cause a violent act which brings about the death, but not an intention to bring about the death itself. [20]

The Model Penal Code classifies homicides differently, without degrees. Under it, murder is any killing committed purposely and knowingly, manslaughter is any killing committed as a result of recklessness, and negligent homicide is any killing resulting from negligence. [21]

Some states classify murders differently. In Pennsylvania, first-degree murder encompasses premeditated murders, second-degree murder encompasses accomplice liability, and third-degree serves as a catch-all for other murders. In New York, first-degree murder involves "special circumstances", such as the murder of a police officer or witness to a crime, multiple murders, or murders involving torture. [22] Under this system, second-degree murder is any other premeditated murder. [23]

The New York statutes also recognize "murder for hire" as first-degree murder. Texas uses a scheme similar to New York's, but refers to first-degree murder as "capital murder", a term which typically applies only to those crimes that merit the death penalty. Some states, such as Florida, do not separate the two kinds of manslaughter.

Degrees of murder in U.S. states and territories
Jurisdiction1st degree2nd degree3rd degreeOther named categoriesSource
Federal YesYesNoNo [24]
Alabama NoNoNoMurder [lower-alpha 1] [25]
Alaska Yes [lower-alpha 2] Yes [lower-alpha 3] NoNo [26] [27]
American Samoa Yes [lower-alpha 4] Yes [lower-alpha 5] NoNo [28]
Arizona Yes [lower-alpha 6] Yes [lower-alpha 7] NoNo [29]
Arkansas Yes [lower-alpha 8] Yes [lower-alpha 9] NoCapital murder [lower-alpha 10] [30]
California Yes [lower-alpha 11] Yes [lower-alpha 11] NoNo [31] [32]
Colorado Yes [lower-alpha 12] Yes [lower-alpha 13] NoNo [33]
Connecticut NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 14] Murder with special circumstances, [lower-alpha 15] Felony murder, [lower-alpha 16] Arson murder [lower-alpha 17] [34]
Delaware Yes [lower-alpha 18] Yes [lower-alpha 19] NoNo [35]
District of Columbia Yes [lower-alpha 20] Yes [lower-alpha 21] NoNo [36]
Florida Yes [lower-alpha 22] Yes [lower-alpha 23] Yes [lower-alpha 24] No [37]
Georgia NoYes [lower-alpha 25] NoMurder, Felony murder [lower-alpha 26] [38]
Guam NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 27] Aggravated murder [lower-alpha 28] [39]
Hawaii Yes [lower-alpha 29] Yes [lower-alpha 30] NoNo [40]
Idaho Yes [lower-alpha 31] Yes [lower-alpha 31] NoNo [41]
Illinois Yes [lower-alpha 32] Yes [lower-alpha 33] NoNo [42]
Indiana NoNoNoMurder [lower-alpha 34] [43]
Iowa Yes [lower-alpha 35] Yes [lower-alpha 36] NoNo [44]
Kansas Yes [lower-alpha 37] Yes [lower-alpha 38] NoCapital murder [lower-alpha 39] [45]
Kentucky NoNoNoMurder [lower-alpha 40] [46]
Louisiana Yes [lower-alpha 41] Yes [lower-alpha 42] NoNo [47]
Maine NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 43] Felony murder [lower-alpha 44] [48]
Maryland Yes [lower-alpha 45] Yes [lower-alpha 46] NoNo [49]
Massachusetts YesYesNoNo [50]
Michigan Yes [lower-alpha 47] Yes [lower-alpha 48] NoNo [51]
Minnesota Yes [lower-alpha 49] Yes [lower-alpha 50] Yes [lower-alpha 51] No [52]
Mississippi Yes [lower-alpha 52] Yes [lower-alpha 53] NoCapital murder [lower-alpha 54] [53]
Missouri Yes [lower-alpha 55] Yes [lower-alpha 56] NoNo [54]
Montana NoNoNoDeliberate homicide, [lower-alpha 57] Mitigated deliberate homicide [lower-alpha 58] [55] [56]
Nebraska Yes [lower-alpha 59] Yes [lower-alpha 60] NoNo [57]
Nevada Yes [lower-alpha 61] Yes [lower-alpha 61] NoNo [58]
New Hampshire Yes [lower-alpha 62] Yes [lower-alpha 63] NoCapital murder [lower-alpha 64] [59]
New Jersey NoNoNoMurder [lower-alpha 65] [60] [61]
New Mexico Yes [lower-alpha 66] Yes [lower-alpha 67] NoNo [62]
New York Yes [lower-alpha 68] Yes [lower-alpha 69] NoAggravated murder [lower-alpha 70] [63]
North Carolina Yes [lower-alpha 71] Yes [lower-alpha 71] NoMurder of an unborn child [lower-alpha 72] [64]
North Dakota NoNoNoMurder [lower-alpha 73] [65]
Northern Mariana Islands Yes [lower-alpha 74] Yes [lower-alpha 75] NoNo [66]
Ohio NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 76] Aggravated murder [lower-alpha 77] [67]
Oklahoma Yes [lower-alpha 78] Yes [lower-alpha 79] NoNo [68]
Oregon NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 80] Aggravated murder [lower-alpha 81] [69]
Pennsylvania Yes [lower-alpha 82] Yes [lower-alpha 83] Yes [lower-alpha 84] No [70]
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island Yes [lower-alpha 85] Yes [lower-alpha 85] NoNo [71]
South Carolina NoNoNoMurder [lower-alpha 86] [72]
South Dakota Yes [lower-alpha 87] Yes [lower-alpha 88] NoNo [73]
Tennessee Yes [lower-alpha 89] Yes [lower-alpha 90] NoNo [74]
Texas NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 91] Capital murder [lower-alpha 92] [75]
U.S. Virgin Islands
Utah NoNoNoMurder, [lower-alpha 93] Aggravated murder [lower-alpha 94] [76]
Vermont Yes [lower-alpha 95] Yes [lower-alpha 95] NoNo [77]
Virginia Yes [lower-alpha 96] Yes [lower-alpha 96] NoCapital murder [lower-alpha 97] [78]
Washington Yes [lower-alpha 98] Yes [lower-alpha 99] NoNo [79]
West Virginia Yes [lower-alpha 100] Yes [lower-alpha 100] NoNo [80]
Wisconsin NoNoNoFirst-degree intentional homicide, [lower-alpha 101] first-degree reckless homicide, [lower-alpha 102] felony murder [lower-alpha 103] [81]
Wyoming Yes [lower-alpha 104] Yes [lower-alpha 105] NoNo [82]

Fetal killing

Fetal homicide laws in the United States
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"Homicide" or "murder"
Other crime against fetus
Depends on age of fetus
Assaulting mother
No law on feticide Map of US, feticide laws.svg
Fetal homicide laws in the United States
  "Homicide" or "murder"
  Other crime against fetus
  Depends on age of fetus
  Assaulting mother
  No law on feticide

Under the common law, an assault on a pregnant woman resulting in a stillbirth was not considered murder. [83] Remedies were limited to criminal penalties for the assault on the mother and tort action for loss of the anticipated economic services of the lost child, for emotional pain and suffering, or both. With the widespread adoption of laws protecting unborn life, the assailant could be charged with that offense, but the penalty was often only a fine and a few days in jail. A number of states have passed "fetal homicide" laws, making killing of a fetus murder; the laws differ about the stage of development at which the fetus is protected.

After several well-publicized cases, Congress in 2004 passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which specifically criminalizes harming a fetus, with the same penalties as for a similar attack upon a person, when the attack would be a federal offense. [84] Most such attacks fall under state laws; for instance, Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his unborn son as well as his wife under California's pre-existing fetal homicide law. [85]

Sentencing guidelines

Arizona

In Arizona, a person is charged with murder when the offender knowingly and intentionally causes the death of a person or unborn child. The murder must be premeditated. In the state of Arizona, if one is found guilty of first-degree murder, there is the possibility of receiving the death penalty, life without the possibility of parole, or life. [86]

California

If a person is convicted of first-degree murder in California, that person may face a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. At minimum, they will face a sentence of 25 years-to-life in prison, and thus must serve at least 25 years before being eligible for parole. [87] If the murder was committed because of the victim's race, religion, orientation, or gender, the convicted will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [88]

A person convicted of second-degree murder in California will face a sentence of 15 years-to-life in prison, and thus must serve at least 15 years in prison before being eligible for parole. [89]

Punishments are increased if the murder victim was a police officer, [90] or was killed during a drive-by shooting. [91]

If a gun was used during the murder, the punishment will include an additional 10, 20, or 25 years to life prison sentence. Those convicted will also receive a strike on their criminal record, and fines of up to $10,000. They will also have to pay restitution to victims, and will no longer be allowed to own a gun. [92]

Florida

In Florida, a person is guilty of first-degree murder when it is perpetrated from a premeditated design to result in the death of a human being. A person is also guilty of first-degree murder if they cause the death of any individual during the commission of a predicate felony regardless of actual intent or premeditation. This is called felony murder. This offense is categorized as capital offense, so if convicted, the offender could possibly receive the death penalty. [93] [94] [15]

Second-degree murder is depraved-heart murder; third-degree murder is felony murder where the underlying felony is not one of the enumerated felonies falling under first-degree felony murder. [15]

The exact statutory definition of third-degree murder is "[t]he unlawful killing of a human being, when perpetrated without any design to effect death, by a person engaged in the perpetration of, or in the attempt to perpetrate, any felony other than" nineteen enumerated categories of felonies. It constitutes a second-degree felony. [95] Second-degree felonies are punishable by a maximum of 15 years' imprisonment ordinarily, a maximum of 30 years for a habitual felony offender, or 30 to 40 years for a violent career criminal. [96] [97]

The nineteen enumerated categories of felonies falling under first-degree murder rather than third-degree murder are drug trafficking; arson; sexual battery; robbery; burglary; kidnapping; prison escape; aggravated child abuse; aggravated abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult; aircraft piracy; unlawful distribution of cocaine, opium, or other controlled substances when such drug is proven to be the proximate cause of the death of the user; carjacking; home-invasion robbery; aggravated stalking; murder of another human being; unlawful throwing, placing, or discharging of a destructive device or bomb; aggravated fleeing or eluding with serious bodily injury or death; resisting an officer with violence to his or her person; or terrorism or an act in furtherance of terrorism. [95]

Hawaii

The state of Hawaii has no death penalty. If they are found guilty, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. [98] [99] A first-degree murder involves one or more specific elements:

Louisiana

Louisiana states homicide in the third-degree is manslaughter. There are other specific guidelines, for example, the killing of a police officer or firefighter is an automatic first-degree charge, and intent to kill more than one person is automatically a first-degree charge. In the state of Louisiana convicted murderers can receive life imprisonment or the death penalty. [100]

Michigan

In Michigan, a person is found guilty of first-degree murder when murder is perpetrated by means of poison, lying in wait, or any other willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing. In Michigan, the top penalty the perpetrator can receive is life imprisonment. [101]

Minnesota

Minnesota law originally defined third-degree murder solely as depraved-heart murder ("without intent to effect the death of any person, caus[ing] the death of another by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life"). [102] [103] In 1987, an additional drug-related provision ("without intent to cause death, proximately caus[ing] the death of a human being by, directly or indirectly, unlawfully selling, giving away, bartering, delivering, exchanging, distributing, or administering a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II") was added to the definition of third-degree murder. [102] [104] Up until the early 2000s, prosecutions under that provision were rare, but they began to rise in the 2010s. Some reports linked this increase in prosecutions to the opioid epidemic in the United States. [105]

Minnesota law also defines the crime of third-degree murder of an unborn child, with the same elements of depraved mind and lack of intent to kill distinguishing it from first- or second-degree murder of an unborn child. [106] [107] Both third-degree murder and third-degree murder of an unborn child are punishable by a maximum of 25 years' imprisonment. [102] [107]

Nevada

In Nevada, first-degree murder is the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought, either expressed or implied. If a serial killer is found guilty with aggravating circumstances, for example killing someone with torture or killing a stranger with no apparent motive, then the state can seek the death penalty or a sentence of life without parole. [108]

New Mexico

New Mexico once divided the crime of murder into five different degrees. A legal scholar writing in 1953 (by which time this level of division had been abolished) described this as the "all-time 'record'" for dividing murder into degrees. [15] The definitions were as follows:

In the 1884 Compiled Laws of New Mexico, third-degree murder included assisting a suicide (§ 696), killing of an unborn child by injury to the mother (§ 697), administration of abortifacient causing death of an unborn child or its mother (§ 698), unintentional killing of a human being in the heat of passion in a cruel or unusual manner (§ 699), and unintentional death caused by an intoxicated physician (§ 701). [110]

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania law defines third-degree murder as a murder which is neither a first-degree murder ("criminal homicide ... committed by an intentional killing") nor a second-degree murder ("committed while defendant was engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony"). For purposes of that section, "felony" is specifically defined as "engaging in or being an accomplice in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, or flight after committing, or attempting to commit robbery, rape, or deviate sexual intercourse by force or threat of force, arson, burglary or kidnapping." [111] There are also parallel crimes of first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree murder of an unborn child. [112] There does not exist the crime of third-degree murder of a law-enforcement officer, only first-degree and second-degree. Third-degree murder and third-degree murder of an unborn child are punishable by a maximum of 40 years' imprisonment. [113]

Third-degree murder was introduced to Pennsylvania law in a 1974 amendment, at the same time as second-degree murder was redefined as felony murder; prior to that, second-degree murder had been defined as any murder not a first-degree murder. [114] The common-law definition of murder as homicide "with malice aforethought" remains in force in Pennsylvania. A conviction for third-degree murder does not require intent to kill as in first-degree murder, but it still requires malice. In general, Pennsylvania courts have ruled that the standard of "malice" required for a conviction of third-degree murder is the same as that required for aggravated assault: not just "ordinary negligence" nor "mere recklessness", but "a higher degree of culpability, i.e., that which considers and then disregards the threat necessarily posed to human life by the offending conduct". [115] A defense of diminished capacity may reduce first-degree murder to third-degree murder. [116]

The crime known as drug delivery resulting in death [117] had originally been classified as another form of third-degree murder under Pennsylvania law. In Commonwealth v. Ludwig (2005), the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that this meant that conviction for the crime required the same element of malice as in any other third-degree murder. In response to this ruling, the Pennsylvania General Assembly amended the definition of the crime in 2011 to reclassify it as general criminal homicide rather than specifically as third-degree murder, thus removing the requirement of malice. [118] However, the maximum sentence remained the same 40 years' imprisonment as for third-degree murder. [117]

Wisconsin

Soon after statehood, Wisconsin enacted statutes repealing the common law crime of murder, creating the statutory crime of murder and dividing the statutory crime of murder into three degrees, with the third encompassing felony murder. For example, the 1849 Revised Statutes defined third-degree murder as a killing "perpetrated without any design to effect the death, by a person engaged in the commission of any felony". [119] The 1956 Criminal Code in § 940.03 defined third-degree murder as causing the death of another "in the course of committing or attempting to commit a felony ... as a natural and probable consequence of the commission of or attempt to commit the felony", and provided that the sentence for the underlying felony could thus be extended by 15 years. This was described by some commentators as a "hybrid" between the common-law felony murder rule and the civil law approach of treating an unintentional death as a "penalty-enhancer" to the punishment for the underlying felony. [120] The 1988 revision of § 940.03 removed the term "third-degree murder" entirely and re-entitled the section as "felony murder". [121]

Washington

In the state of Washington, a person may be convicted of first-degree murder when there is a premeditated intent to cause the death of another person. Murder in the first-degree is a class A felony in the state of Washington. [122] If a person is convicted of first-degree murder, they will not receive anything lower than life imprisonment. [123]

The offender can possibly get a charge of aggravated first-degree murder if they commit first-degree murder and have an aggravating circumstance, for example if they kill a public safety official, such as a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic. In this case, the offender can receive the death penalty. [124] However, in October 2018, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that execution could no longer be used as a penalty for any crime.

See also

Notes

  1. AL Code § 13A-6-2.
  2. AK Statutes § 11.41.100. Murder in the first degree.
  3. AK Statutes § 11.41.110. Murder in the second degree.
  4. AS Code § 46.3502. Murder in the 1st degree.
  5. AS Code § 46.3503. Murder in the 2nd degree.
  6. AZ Rev Stat § 13-1105. First-degree murder. Classification.
  7. AZ Rev Stat § 13-1104. Second-degree murder. Classification.
  8. AR Code § 5-10-102. Murder in the first degree.
  9. AR Code § 5-10-103. Murder in the second degree.
  10. AR Code § 5-10-103. Capital murder.
  11. 1 2 CA Penal Code § 189.
  12. CO Rev Stat § 18-3-102. Murder in the first degree.
  13. CO Rev Stat § 18-3-103. Murder in the second degree.
  14. CT Gen Stat § 53a-54a. Murder.
  15. CT Gen Stat § 53a-54b. Murder with special circumstances.
  16. CT Gen Stat § 53a-54c. Felony murder.
  17. CT Gen Stat § 53a-54d. Arson murder.
  18. DE Code § 634 Murder by abuse or neglect in the first degree; class A felony; § 636 Murder in the first degree; class A felony.
  19. DE Code § 633 Murder by abuse or neglect in the second degree; class B felony; § 635 Murder in the second degree; class A felony.
  20. DC Code § 22–2101. Murder in the first degree — Purposeful killing; killing while perpetrating certain crimes; § 22–2102. Murder in the first degree — Placing obstructions upon or displacement of railroads.
  21. DC Code § 22–2103. Murder in the second degree.
  22. FL Statutes § 782.04(1)(a)
  23. FL Statutes § 782.04(2)
  24. FL Statutes § 782.04(4)
  25. GA Code § 16-5-1. Murder in the second degree
  26. GA Code § 16-5-1. Murder; felony murder.
  27. GU Code § 16.40. Murder Defined.
  28. GU Code § 16.30. Aggravated Murder Defined.
  29. HI Rev Stat § 707-701. Murder in the first degree.
  30. HI Rev Stat § 707-701.5. Murder in the second degree.
  31. 1 2 ID Statutes § 18-4003. Degrees of murder.
  32. Sec. 9-1. First-degree Murder - Death penalties – Exceptions – Separate Hearings – Proof – Findings – Appellate procedures – Reversals.
  33. Sec. 9-2. Second-degree murder.
  34. IN Code § 35-42-1-1. Murder.
  35. IA Code § 707.2. Murder in the first degree.
  36. IA Code § 707.3. Murder in the second degree.
  37. KS Stat §21-5402. Murder in the first degree.
  38. KS Statutes §21-5401. Murder in the second degree.
  39. KS Stat §21-5401. Capital murder.
  40. KY Rev Stat § 507.020 (2017). Murder.
  41. LA Rev Stat § 30. First degree murder.
  42. LA Rev Stat § 30.1. Second degree murder.
  43. 17-A ME Rev Stat §201. Murder.
  44. 17-A ME Rev Stat §202. Felony murder.
  45. MD Code § 2-201. Murder in the first degree
  46. MD Code § 2-204. Murder in the second degree (Amendment effective October 1, 2017.)
  47. MI Compiled Laws § 750.316 First degree murder; penalty; definitions.
  48. MI Compiled Laws § 750.317 Second degree murder; penalty.
  49. MN Statutes § 609.185. Murder in the first degree.
  50. MN Statutes § 609.19 Murder in the second degree.
  51. MN Statutes § 609.195 Murder in the third degree.
  52. MS Code § 97-3-19(1)(a), (1)(c), (1)(d).
  53. MS Code § 97-3-19(1)(b).
  54. MS Code § 97-3-19(2).
  55. MO Rev Stat § 565.020 (2016). First degree murder, penalty — person under eighteen years of age, penalty.
  56. MO Rev Stat § 565.021 (2016). Second degree murder, penalty.
  57. MT Code § 45-5-102 (2017). Deliberate homicide.
  58. MT Code § 45-5-103 (2017). Mitigated deliberate homicide.
  59. NE Rev Stat § 28-303 (2017). Murder in the first degree; penalty.
  60. NE Rev Stat § 28-304 (2017). Murder in the second degree; penalty.
  61. 1 2 NV Rev Stat § 200.030. Degrees of murder; penalties.
  62. NH Statutes § 630:1-a. First Degree Murder.
  63. NH Statutes § 630:1-b. Second Degree Murder.
  64. NH Statutes § 630:1. Capital Murder.
  65. NJ Statutes § 2C:11-3. Murder.
  66. NM Statutes § 30-2-1(A).
  67. NM Statutes § 30-2-1(B).
  68. NY PEN § 125.27. Murder in the first degree.
  69. NY PEN § 125.25. Murder in the second degree.
  70. NY PEN § 125.26. Aggravated murder.
  71. 1 2 NC Gen Stat § 14-17. Murder in the first and second degree defined; punishment.
  72. NC Gen Stat § 14-23.2. Murder of an unborn child; penalty.
  73. ND Code § 12.1-16-01. Murder.
  74. MP Code § 1101(a). First Degree Murder.
  75. MP Code § 1101(b). Second Degree Murder.
  76. OH Revised Code § 2903.02.
  77. OH Revised Code § 2903.01.
  78. OK Stat § 21-701.7. Murder in the first degree.
  79. OK Stat § 21-701.8. Murder in the second degree.
  80. OR Rev Stat § 163.115 - Murder; affirmative defense to certain felony murders; sentence of life imprisonment required; minimum term.
  81. OR Rev Stat § 163.095 (2017). "Aggravated murder" defined.
  82. 18 PA Cons Stat § 2502(a). Murder of the first degree.
  83. 18 PA Cons Stat § 2502(b). Murder of the first degree.
  84. 18 PA Cons Stat § 2502(c). Murder of the first degree.
  85. 1 2 RI Gen L § 11-23-1 (2013). Murder.
  86. SC Code § 16-3-10.
  87. SD Codified Laws § 22-16-4. Homicide as murder in the first degree.
  88. SD Codified Laws § 22-16-7. Homicide as murder in the second degree.
  89. TN Code § 39-13-202. First degree murder.
  90. TN Code § 39-13-202. Second degree murder.
  91. TX Penal Code § 19.02. Murder.
  92. TX Penal Code § 19.03. Capital Murder.
  93. UT Criminal Code § 203. Murder.
  94. UT Criminal Code § 202. Aggravated murder.
  95. 1 2 VT Statutes § 2301. Murder-Degrees defined.
  96. 1 2 VA Code § 18.2-32. First and second degree murder defined; punishment
  97. VA Code § 18.2-31. Capital murder defined; punishment.
  98. WA Rev Code § 9A.32.030. Murder in the first degree
  99. WA Rev Code § 9A.32.050. Murder in the second degree
  100. 1 2 WV Code § 61-2-1. First and second degree murder defined; allegations in indictment for homicide.
  101. WI Stat § 940.01. First-degree intentional homicide.
  102. WI Stat § 940.02. First-degree reckless homicide.
  103. WI Stat § 940.03. Felony murder.
  104. WY Code § 6-2-101. Murder in the first degree; penalty.
  105. WY Code § 6-2-104. Murder in the second degree; penalty.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assault</span> Physical or verbal attack of another person

An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in criminal prosecution, civil liability, or both. Generally, the common law definition is the same in criminal and tort law.

A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law to describe an offense that resulted in the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods, to which additional punishments including capital punishment could be added; other crimes were called misdemeanors. Following conviction of a felony in a court of law, a person may be described as a felon or a convicted felon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder</span> Unlawful killing of a human

Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as manslaughter. Manslaughter is killing committed in the absence of malice, 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.

Burglary, also called breaking and entering and sometimes housebreaking, is the act of entering a building or other areas without permission, with the intention of committing a criminal offence. Usually that offence is theft, robbery or murder, but most jurisdictions include others within the ambit of burglary. To commit burglary is to burgle, a term back-formed from the word burglar, or to burglarize.

Vehicular homicide is a crime that involves the death of a person other than the driver as a result of either criminally negligent or murderous operation of a motor vehicle.

The rule of felony murder is a legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions that broadens the crime of murder: when someone is killed in the commission of a dangerous or enumerated crime, the offender, and also the offender's accomplices or co-conspirators, may be found guilty of murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Penal Code</span> Defines most criminal law, criminal procedure, and penal institutions in California

The Penal Code of California forms the basis for the application of most criminal law, criminal procedure, penal institutions, and the execution of sentences, among other things, in the American state of California. It was originally enacted in 1872 as one of the original four California Codes, and has been substantially amended and revised since then. The entirety of the Penal Code is available for free at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codesTOCSelected.xhtml?tocCode=PEN

Capital murder was a statutory offence of aggravated murder in Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, which was later adopted as a legal provision to define certain forms of aggravated murder in the United States. In some parts of the US, this term still defines the category of murder for which the perpetrator is eligible for the death penalty. Some jurisdictions that provide for death as a possible punishment for murder, such as California, do not have a specific statute creating or defining a crime known as capital murder; instead, death is one of the possible sentences for certain kinds of murder. In these cases, "capital murder" is not a phrase used in the legal system but may still be used by others such as the media.

Hate crime laws in the United States are state and federal laws intended to protect against hate crimes. Although state laws vary, current statutes permit federal prosecution of hate crimes committed on the basis of a person's characteristics of race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and campus police departments are required to collect and publish hate crime statistics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revised Penal Code</span> Criminal code of the Philippines

The Revised Penal Code contains the general penal laws of the Philippines. First enacted in 1930, it remains in effect today, despite several amendments thereto. It does not comprise a comprehensive compendium of all Philippine penal laws. The Revised Penal Code itself was enacted as Act No. 3815, and some Philippine criminal laws have been enacted outside of the Revised Penal Code as separate Republic Acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ages of consent in the United States</span> U.S. law on age of consent to sexual activity

In the United States, each state and territory sets the age of consent either by statute or the common law applies, and there are several federal statutes related to protecting minors from sexual predators. Depending on the jurisdiction, the legal age of consent is between 16 and 18. In some places, civil and criminal laws within the same state conflict with each other.

Menacing or brandishing is a criminal offense in many U.S. states generally defined as displaying a weapon with the intent of placing another person in fear of imminent physical injury or death. Depending on state, degrees of offense range from a misdemeanor for first-time offenders, to low- to mid-level felonies for offenders with a prior menacing charge. Self-defense is often explicitly given as an exception.

In the state of Florida, the common law felony murder rule has been codified in Florida Statutes § 782.04.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Born alive laws in the United States</span>

Born alive laws in the United States are fetal rights laws that extend various criminal laws, such as homicide and assault, to cover unlawful death or other harm done to a fetus in uterus or to an infant that is no longer being carried in pregnancy and exists outside of its mother. The basis for such laws stems from advances in medical science and social perception, which allow a fetus to be seen and medically treated as an individual in the womb and perceived socially as a person, for some or all of the pregnancy.


Manslaughter is a crime in the United States. Definitions can vary among jurisdictions, but manslaughter is invariably the act of causing the death of another person in a manner less culpable than murder. Three types of unlawful killings constitute manslaughter. First, there is voluntary manslaughter which is an intentional homicide committed in "sudden heat of passion" as the result of adequate provocation. Second, there is the form of involuntary manslaughter which is an unintentional homicide that was committed in a criminally negligent manner. Finally, there is the form of involuntary manslaughter which is an unintentional homicide that occurred during the commission or attempted commission of an unlawful act which does not amount to a felony.

In the United States, the legality of incest varies widely between jurisdictions regarding both the definition of the offense and penalties for its commission.

Keeler v. Superior Court, Supreme Court of California, 2 Cal. 3d 619 (1970), is a criminal case in which a man who deliberately killed a viable fetus in a woman, was determined not to be guilty of murder because the murder statute was written in 1850 when "human being" meant a person born alive, so there was no fair warning (legality), there being no common law crimes in California whereby statutory definitions can be changed by judicial decisions to broaden categories of crimes.

The Texas Penal Code is the principal criminal code of the U.S. state of Texas. It was originally enacted in 1856 and underwent substantial revision in 1973, with the passage of the Revised Penal Code, in large part based on the American Law Institute's Model Penal Code.

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