MURDER

Question 1

definition of murder

Answer 1

• the unlawful killing of a human being under the king’s peace with malice aforethought express or implied by law
• LORD COKE

Question 2

ACTUS REUS
first element

Answer 2

• unlawful killing
• positive act/omission

Question 3

ACTUS REUS
omissions + cases

Answer 3

• parents/child GIBBONS V PROCTOR
• voluntarily assumed duty STONE & DOBINSON
• contractual duty PITTWOOD
• public duty DYTHAM
• started a chain of events MILLER
• statutory duty S.170 ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988

Question 4

ACTUS REUS
second element + case

Answer 4

• under king’s peace
• PAGE

Question 5

ACTUS REUS
third element + case

Answer 5

• human being
  -AG’s REF NO.3 1994

Question 6

CAUSATION
factual

Answer 6

• ‘but for’ defendant’s conduct, victim would not have died
• R V WHITE

Question 7

CAUSATION
legal

Answer 7

• defendant’s conduct was more than a minimal cause of victim’s death and the operating and substantiating cause of victim’s death
  -R V SMITH

Question 8

CAUSATION
novus actus intervniens
(4)

Answer 8

• medical negligence (only if extra-ordinary) R V CHESHIRE
• third party (must be operating and substantial cause) R V SMITH
• v’s own actions (not if reasonably foreseeable) R V ROBERTS
• act of god

Question 9

MENS REA
expressed malice

Answer 9

• defendant intends to kill

Question 10

MENS REA
expressed malice
direct intent

Answer 10

• desires v’s death
• R V BELFAN

Question 11

MENS REA
expressed malice
oblique intent

Answer 11

• v’s death is a virtual certainty and D realises
• R V WOOLIN

Question 12

MENS REA
implied malice
DEFINITION

Answer 12

• d intends to cause GBH (‘really serious harm’ DPP VSMITH) and v dies VICKERS

Question 13

MENS REA
implied malice
INTENTS

Answer 13

• direct intent - BELFON
• oblique intent - WOOLIN

Question 14

MENS REA
other rules
(transferred malice)

Answer 14

• MR will be transferred (LATIMER) but only for the same offence (R V MITCHELL)