Criminal Law Outline

4 ELEMENTS OF CRIME
·        Actus Reus
o       Prohibitive conduct can be an act or omission
o       Omission – must be a duty to act (lifeguard, parent/child)
o       Minimal mental element of actus reus is volition
·        Mens Rea or mental state
o       Criminal intent
o       Criminal recklessness
o       Criminal negligence
o       Special mental state
·        Concurrence
o       Mental state (mens rea) exists at the same time as the prohibitive conduct (actus reus)
·        Causation
o       Cause in fact
o       Proximate cause
 
ACTUS REUS
·        Voluntary Act or Omission of a physical or external part of crime, resulting in harm
o       Voluntary Act:
§         Minimal mental element of act= volition
§         Person must perform physical act(s) required of a crime in order to satisfy the Actus Reas component
ú         Ex: Martin v State – police arrest intoxicated man at home, take him onto highway & arrest him for public drunkenness
§         Involuntary action does not constitute Actus Reas requirement
ú         Volition unless unconscious
ú         Voluntarily induced unconscious (alcohol or drugs) is not a complete defense
ú         Prior knowledge of a specific condition relating to unconsciousness is not considered a complete defense
ú         Examples of involuntary acts
·        Reflex of convulsion
·        Bodily movement during unconscious or sleep
·        Conduct during hypnosis or hypnotic suggestion
·        Bodily movement that otherwise is not a product of the effort or determination of the actor either conscience or habitual, (ie: getting pushed)
·        Intoxication
o       Lack of volition is product of consumption of alcohol that was voluntary
o       C