Justification & Excuse
Justific.
- Did Nothing Wrong
- Self Defense
- Perfect Self Defense 4 Use of Deadly Force
- Genuine & rsbl belief of fear
- MPC ok's just honest fear
- CA now adm's expert testi. of battered women
syndrome on this (see 10/30 4 more detail on BWS)
- Imminent force
- Unlawful force
- If D not innocent, cannot defend against lawful
deadly / nondeadly force
- Deadly force
- Threatened w/future viol.
- Rsbl force in response was nec.
- Duty 2 retreat
- Maj. not req. retreat
- Min. req. retreat if safe 2 do so except in own
home
- Nonaggressor / Innocent
- Nondeadly aggressor
- If was initial aggressor, then maj. & min.
rq. retreat
- Deadly aggressor
- Can't defend against deadly force unless
- Stopped +
- Brings home 2 V of the cessation
- Imperfect Self Defense
- Genuine but Unrsbl Belief +
- All other elements
- Nondeadly Force 4 Self Defense
- Rsbl force
- Genuine & rsbl
- Unlawful
- Imminent
- Threatened w/future viol.
- Defense of Others
- C /L
- If defend others, then stand in the person aided
- MPC & Modern
- Justified by rsbl appearance @ X person intervenes
- More follow modern trend
- Defense of Prop.
- Never Justified 2 Use Deadly Force
- Can Use Rsbl Nondeadly Force
- Apprehension
- C /L
- Can use rsbl deadly force 2 apprehend fleeing
felon but not msdr
- Modern
- Can use deadly force only if create risk of death
/ great bodily harm /
- Presently dang. 2 arresting person
- Crime of Prevention
- C /L allowed deadly force 2 prevent dang. felon
- Modern
- Deadly force only 2 prevent crime that create
fear of death / great bodily harm
- Defense of Habitation
- C /L
- Could use deadly force rsbly nec. 2 apprehend
felon
- Spring Gun
- C /L, ok 2 use if householder himself could use
force pers'ly
- MPC & CA say no
- CA Presumption
- Homeowner's use of force justifiable if entry
into home
Excuse
- Did Wrong But Excuse
- Duress
- Choice of Evils When Threatened By Another Person
- No defense if have 2 kill @ C/L
- Now some allow 4 homicide
- Elements
- Threat of death / serious bodily harm
- Could B threat 2 another person, like your family
- Imm. threat
- Well grounded fear threat will B carried out
- No rsbl opp. 2 escape
- In prison escape cases, must turn self in
- MPC & Imperfect Duress
- Want mitig. 2 vol. mansl. 4 murder if forced
2 help kill
- Nec.
- Choice of Lesser Harm Gen'ly Created By Nat.
- No defense 4 murder @ C/L
- Must weigh the evils & gen'ly not avail.
unless + side involved (save life)
- Could have 4 killing 1 person if save many dep'ing
on how choice made
- Elements
- Sit. involving a choice of evils
- Choice of lesser evil
- Axn 2 prevent imminent harm
- Causal cnxn btwn axn taken & avoidance of
harm
- No legal alt's 4 avoidance of harm
- MPC Combines Duress & Nec.
- Mistake
- Excuses if Negates Existence of S/M Essential
2 Crime Charged
- Gen'ly 4 specif. intent crimes
- Often works 4 purpose & knowledge & s.t.
on neg. & reckless & none @ SL
- Of Fact
- Excuses if negates S/M
- Of Law
- Belief that conduct not prohibited by law / lack
of awareness
- Gen'ly not excuse
- Exception if
- Leg. specif'ly prov's must have specif. intent
2 viol.
- Conspiracy where must have knowledge of law 4
malum prohibitum crimes gen'ly & not all agree
- Mistaken impression of legal effect of some collateral
matter
- Reliance on Auth.
- Stt / Ct dec. / Other Govt Auth.
- Leads D 2 believe conduct was lawful, govt barred
from prosec. if in fact was unlawful
- Not allowed if ask own atty
- Insanity
- If Excused, Put 2 Mental Hosp. Gen'ly
- Dif. Tests
- M'Naghten Test
- At X of crim. conduct
- As a result of mental disease / defect
- Not have 2 B perm.
- Could B vol. as long as last more than intoxication
2 B settled
- Incapable of knowing / understanding nat. &
quality of act /
- Not knew btwn rt. & wrong
- CA adopted this but put and instead of or btwn
3rd & 4th
- ALI / MPC Test
- At X of conduct
- As result of mental disease / defect
- Lacks subst'l capacity 2 appreciate criminality
(wrongfulness) /
- Conform conduct 2 reqt of law
- Intended 2 capture wider range of mental activity
by using appreciate
- Irresistible Impulse
- At X of conduct
- As a result of mental disease / defect
- Lost pwr 2 choose btwn rt. & wrong
- Durham Rule
- Accused not crim'ly resp. if unlawful act was
prod. of mental disease / defect
- Most like med. def.
- Raise Defense by Plea
- Sep. trial 2nd X
- No Imperfect Insanity / Diminished Capacity in
CA
- Use of Mental Illness Evid.
- Can't B used against gen. intent like malice
- Can B used 2 negate specif. intent even if not
legally insane
- Unlike insanity, if successful, walk free
- Automatism / Unconsc.
- Not Disease of Mind
- Vol. Intoxication
- No excuse
This material is copyrighted by the author. Use of the material
for profit is expressly prohibited without the written
permission from the author.
Go Back to Law School Notes
Ms. Haeji Hong
January 15, 1998