Malice aforethought

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Malice aforethought is the "premeditation" or "predetermination" (with malice) that was required as an element of some crimes in some jurisdictions,^[1] and a unique element for first-degree or aggravated murder in a few.^[1]

Legal history

Malice aforethought was the mens rea element of murder in 19th century America,^[2][3] and remains as a relic in those states with a separate First-degree murder charge.^[4]

As of 1891, Texas courts were overwhelmed with discussing whether "malice" needs to be expressed or implied in the judge's jury instructions.^[5] However, the 1970s revision of the Texas Penal Code corrected this as "intentionally or knowingly" are the requisite mental state for murder in Texas. See Texas Penal Code Section 19.02.

Modern law

In English law the mens rea requirement of murder is either an intention to kill or an intention to cause grievous bodily harm. In R v Moloney [1985], Lord Bridge held that, intent, as defined in the mens rea requirement of murder 'means intent,' therefore the jury should simply use the term intent legally as they would in normal parlance. Furthermore, in Moloney, Lord Bridge held that, for the defendant to have the mens rea of murder, there must be something more than mere foresight or knowledge that death or serious injury is a "natural" consequence of the current activities: there must be clear evidence of an intention. This element of intention is not only fulfilled when the defendant's motive or purpose was to cause death or serious bodily harm (also known as 'direct intent,') but also when the defendant's motive or purpose was not to cause death or grievous bodily harm, but (as held by Lord Steyn in R v Woollin) death or serious bodily harm was a 'virtual certainty' of the defendant's act, and the defendant appreciated this to be so (also known as 'oblique intent.')^[6]

To varying extents in the United States, the requisite intention can also be found where the perpetrator acts with gross recklessness showing lack of care for human life, commonly referred to as "depraved heart murder",^[4] or during the commission of or while in flight from any felony or attempted felony (termed felony murder.) In England, such mens rea would only find a verdict of reckless or constructive manslaughter.

Note that through the principle of transferred intent, an accused who intended to kill one person but inadvertently killed another instead is still guilty of murder. The intent to kill the first person suffices.

In most common law jurisdictions, the American Law Institute's Model Penal Code, and in the various US state statutes which have codified homicide definitions, the term has been abandoned although the meaning remains the mens rea requirement for murder.

References