Chapter 2 Flashcards
Chapter 2 (32 cards)
What is the fundamental principle of justice
Innocent until proven guilty
What are the two elements of offences that are to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt
Men’s Rea and Actus Reus
What is Actus Reus
- The physical element of a criminal offence
- A particular event or state of affairs was “caused” by the accused person’s conduct
What is commision?
Knowingly taking action like hitting somone
What is Omission
Act of leaving out or excluding something
What are the four justifications of the intervention of CJS
1) To be held criminally responsible: the Crown must prove beyond reasonable doubt all the necessary actus reus elements
2) The existence of mens rea (by itself) does not lead to conviction
3) Actus reus and Mens rea must coincide
4) Voluntariness (meaning that one commits an act out of free will, lack of force or suffering, or sycosis) elements in actus reus
What are the three elements of Actus Reus
Conduct, Circumstances and Consequences
What is the element of Conduct?
A voluntary act or omission or state of being; constituting the central feature of the crime
What is the element of circumstances
The “surroundings and material”
The act that makes the action an offence
What is the element of Consequence
The consequence must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt
The conduct must be a direct link to the consequence
What does the element of Actus Reus refer to?
Refers to all other elements of the offence that must be proved by the crown beyond a reasonable doubt
What does the element of Mens Rea refer to?
Refers to the mental element of an offence
What is the central feature of crime?
Conduct
What are 3 exceptions where conduct is not a required element of Actus reus
Overall offences where conduct is not required element of the Actus Reus,
- the Crown must prove that the accused was discovered in a particular condition or state.
this includes
- Being in Possession of Housebreaking instruments
- Being the occupant of a motor vechile without the consent of the owner
- Being in Care or Control of a vehcile while impaire or “above 80”
Has Parliament defined the word sexual in the CCC?
No. It is up to the crown to present the conduct as lacking consent and conduct was of a sexual nature
What are the Actus Reus requirements of sexual assault?
- Proof of touching
- the sexual nature of the contact
- The absence of consent
What two requirements of Actus Reus for sexual assault are objective and subjective?
Objective:
- The proof of touching
- the sexual nature of the contact (Reasonable observer)
Subjective:
- The absence of consent
(Refers to the complainant’s subjective internal state of mind towards the touching the same it occurred
The Case of Chase
- He entered the victim, 15 year old girl, without invitation, seized her shoulders and grabbed breasts. Attempted to grab the genitals but did not succeed.
COA said that because of no contact with the genitals and wanted to charge common assault.
- SC stated in deciding whether the nature of the offence is sexual in nature the crown must prove that a reasonable observer would see the seen and determine the actions are sexual in nature. The reasonable observer is a person aware of the situation.
All circumstances surrounding the conduct must be sexual in nature - Ruled that the sexual integrity of the victim was violated.
- Ultimately charged with Sexual Assault
The Case of V.(K.B)(1993)
Charged with sexual assaults
Disciplining his 3-year-old son
The defence is the lack of intention of sexual gratification
The SC verdict
“Sexual integrity of the victim was violated”
The Case of Semchuk (2012)
To review
Case: R.v. Moquin (2012)
- Domestic violence
- A Man hit and squeezed her hand so hard.
- The victim had multiple bruises and her hand had bruising, soreness and inability to bend it for a week. She needed assistance from her daughter
- The trial judge held that these physical injuries did not amount to “bodily harm” as required and accordingly convicted the accused of common “assault.”
- COA refers to SC to interpret the standard of serious bodily harm
- SC says “bodily harm does not require a fully functional impairment. Bodily harm is hurt or injury that interferes with the health or comfort of the person.”
What is assault causing bodily harm?
- Bodily harm is hurt or injury that interferes with the health or comfort of the person.”
What defines assault?
- Any hurt or injury Without the consent of another he applies force intentionally to that person directly or indirectly
- Carries or threatens to use a weapon
What is a reasonable observer?
Someone who would interpret the actions as sexual, lacking consent and violating the sexual integrity of the persons