Murder: Mens Rea

[Flash Card 1 of 1]

• .. the unlawful killing of a reasonable person in being and under the King's peace with malice aforethought, express or implied... (Sir Edward Coke)
• Coke's definition / malice aforethought / express or implied
• case law / no malice necessary (Gray)
• no planning required / only intention not formed after act
• intention to kill / or cause serious harm sufficient (Vickers)
• D hit V over head with stool / sufficient mens rea (Cunningham)

Foresight of Consequences:

• foresight of consequences / D's aim not to kill or cause serious harm / oblique intent
• statute allows consideration / extent D foresaw consequences (S8 Criminal Justice Act 1967)
• mere foresight of probable death not sufficient intent / can be used to infer intent by jury (Moloney)
• greater probability / more likely foreseen / increase likely intended (Hancock & Shankland)
• was consequence virtual certainty / if D foresaw / jury infer D intended (Nedrick)
• was consequence virtual certainty / if D foresaw / jury find D intended (Woolin)
• foresight of consequences / like rule of evidence / jury to interpret (Matthews & Alleyne)

bits of law