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Murder - Law Dictionary Search Results

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imperfect self-defense

successfully used in criminal cases it eliminates the element of malice, reducing the level of the offense from murder to manslaughter.

self-defense

self-defense 1 : the use of force to defend oneself 2 : an affirmative defense (as to a murder charge) alleging that the defendant used force necessarily to protect himself or herself because of a reasonable belief

racketeering

of money or advantage by threat or force 2 : a pattern of illegal activity (as extortion and murder) that is carried out in furtherance of an enterprise (as a criminal syndicate) which is owned or controlled

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patricide

patricide [Latin patricida, from patr- pater father + -cida killer] 1 : an individual who murders his or her father 2 : the murder of an individual's own father

murderer

murderer : a person who commits murder

mitigating circumstance

the commission of an act that lessens the degree of criminal culpability [was convicted of manslaughter rather than murder because of mitigating circumstances] ;also : a circumstance or factor relating to an offense or defendant that does

mens rea

mens rea pl: men·tes re·ae [men-tēz-rē-ē, men-tās-rā-ī] [New Latin, literally, guilty mind] : a culpable mental state ;esp : one involving intent or knowledge and forming an element of a criminal offense [murder contains a mens...

matricide

matricide [Latin matricidium, from matr- mater mother + -cidium killing] 1 : the murder of a mother by her son or daughter 2 Latin matricida, from matr- + -cida killer : a

malice

malice 1 a : the intention or desire to cause harm (as death, bodily injury, or property damage) to another through an unlawful or wrongful act without justification or excuse b : wanton disregard for the...

lead

questions n : something serving as a tip, indication, or clue [the police have only one in the murder investigation]

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