2.7A criminal offence - murder

• Murder is the unlawful killing of a person with malice afterthought by a person who is of the age of discretion and is of sound mind.
• elements of a crime - actus reus

  1. Unlawful killing: no lawful reason to kill

  • Self defense
  • Capital punishment
  • Military 
• elements of a crime - actus reus

  2. Person: human being
• elements of a crime - actus reus

  3. By: causation

  Causation (causal change): the acts of the accused led to the death. 

  How to break the causal change: 

  • Force of nature (lightning)
  • Medical negligence (error in hospital) 
• elements of a crime - actus reus

  4. Age of discretion: over 10 years old
• elements of crime - actus reus

  5. Sound mind: not suffering from any mental impairment 
• elements of a crime - mens rea

  • Malice aforethought: prosecution must prove that malice aforethought existed at the time of death.
• elements of a crime - mens rea - malice aforethought

  • Intended to kill
  • Intended to inflict serious injury
  • Acted recklessly 
  • Intention to assault a person making an arrest
  • Killing in the process of committing a violent crime
• malice aforethought is the intention to kill or harm, which distinguishes murder from unlawful killing.