Mens Rea
Crimes
More Crimes
Homicides
Defenses
100
Mens rea is never enough alone. It must be combined with this to establish a crime.
What is actus reus or the criminal act?
100
Carter obtains pictures of Rines cavorting with a woman who is not his wife. He tells Rines to pay him $10,000 or he will deliver the pictures to Mrs. Rines.
What is blackmail (or extortion)?
100
Nina burns her old warehouse hoping to collect insurance proceeds. Unbeknownst to her, a homeless man is sleeping in the warehouse. He dies of smoke inhalation.
What is felony murder?
100
Cain gets mad at his brother, makes a plan to surprise him and kill him, and then carries out the plan.
What is first degree murder?
100
David is kidnapped by the Symbolic Liberty Army and forced at gunpoint to help them rob banks.
What is duress?
200
The most serious forms of murder require this.
What is malice aforethought, premeditation and deliberation, or a depraved heart?
200
After knocking his ex-girlfriend unconscious, George decides to take her stereo.
What is robbery?
200
Ned, a college student, approaches Tom, who owns a sporting goods store, with a number of brand new football helmets that he will sell at a great price. Tom buys them, but they turn out to be stolen. Tom is arrested for this crime.
What is receiving stolen property?
200
Uriah comes home unexpectedly and finds his wife with another man. Enraged, he strikes her with his fist. She falls, strikes her head on a piece of furniture, and dies.
What is voluntary manslaughter?
200
A police officer persuades Miles that he has a rare disease that can only be treated with meth. Miles obtains meth and delivers it to the officer.
What is entrapment?
300
The intent to commit a separate felony is an element of this common law felony.
What is burglary?
300
Joe takes a wrench and beats Jack with it.
What is aggravated assault?
300
Randy works for a town that is receiving bids on a project. His friend offers him 15% of the contract amount if Randy will slip him a copy of the confidential bids. The friend can then use the information to adjust his bid and obtain the contract.
What is bribery?
300
As Greta is driving by a park (going the speed limit and paying careful attention), a child darts out from behind a car. Greta has no time to stop. Her car strikes and kills the child.
What is a homicide that is not a crime?
300
Herbert comes home drunk and angry. He starts beating his stepson with a fireplace poker. His wife, Jane, shoots him with her newly obtained pistol.
What is self-defense?
400
The least serious homicide crimes are based on this mental state.
What is negligence?
400
Slick goes around the neighborhood collecting money for hurricane victims. He says his group is the Committee to Assist Survivors of Harvey, and asks people to make checks to it using the acronym CASH. Slick then takes the checks to the bank and pockets the money.
What is false pretenses?
400
Russell, a private contractor, wants the information on final bids for a town project. He has a friend who works for the town. He promises him 15% of the contract amount to give him the confidential information which he then uses to adjust his bid and obtain the contract.
What is bribery?
400
Bob is showing his new car by speeding up and down some city streets. On a curve, he loses control and drives up on a sidewalk, killing a pedestrian.
What is involuntary manslaughter or negligent homicide?
400
Will thinks he is the Tazmanian Devil and that when he spins around he can travel at amazing speeds. While driving, he starts spinning so he can get to McDonalds faster, but he runs into two pedestrians.
What is insanity?
500
The crime of receiving stolen goods requires that one knew the goods were stolen or this.
What is "should have known" (knew or should have known)?
500
A fuel truck driver skims gasoline from his deliveries to government agencies and then sells the gasoline to others, pocketing the money.
What is embezzlement?
500
A store manager fills out and signs time cards for non-existent employees. He then cashes the paychecks himself.
What is forgery?
500
Freda leaves her adulterous husband, saying "I hope I never see you again." Six weeks later he unexpectedly walks into the restaurant she owns. Impulsively, she grabs a knife and stabs him. He dies.
What is second degree murder?
500
An undercover police officer approaches Grover and offers the going rate for a kilo of cocaine. Grover makes the sale.
What is a crime with no defense?
M
e
n
u