Criminal Law I Lecture II: Actus Reus PDF

Criminal  Law  I  Lecture  II:  Elements  of  a   Crime:  Actus  Reus   By:  Dr.  Janeille  Zorina  Ma1hews   ...

Criminal  Law  I  Lecture  II:  Elements  of  a   Crime:  Actus  Reus   By:  Dr.  Janeille  Zorina  Ma1hews    Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus   Introduc8on   Reus:  Voluntary   Causa8on   Actus  Reus   Reus:  Proof   Conduct   Lecture  I  summary   Important  themes   in  criminal  law   Three  components   of  criminal  liability   2    Introduc8on   Important  Themes  in  Criminal  Law   q ACT  V.  OMISSION:  How  much  conduct  is  enough?   When  is  failure  to  act  enough?  When  should   accomplices/conspirators  be  held  criminally  liable?     q CONDUCT  V.  INTENT:  What  mental  state  ought  to  be   required  to  send  someone  to  prison?     q PRIMACY  OF  INTENT:  What  is  the  relaRonship  between   intent  and  moRve?     q DEFENCES:  If  there  is  liability,  when  should  we  give   people  a  defence?   3    Introduc8on   “An  act  does  not  make  a  man  guilty  of  a  crime,  unless  his  mind  is  also  guilty.”              -­‐-­‐Haughton  v.  Smith    AC  476  at  491   Three  Components  of  Criminal  Liability   Actus  Reus   Mens  Rea   No  Defence   The  actual   The  criminal  state   The  absence  of  an   criminal  act  –  the   of  mind  –  the   exculpatory  defence,   conduct     intent   jusRficaRon  or  excuse           The  conduct  must   The  intent  may   Where  a  defence  is   be  proven   be  inferred   raised,  the  prosecuRon   must  negate  it  by  proof   beyond  reasonable   doubt               4    Nature  of  an   Actus  Reus   Sa8sfying  Actus   Nature  of  an   Sa8sfying  Actus   Introduc8on   Reus:  Voluntary   Causa8on   Actus  Reus   Reus:  Proof   Conduct   Actus  Reus  defined   Act/conduct   requirement   Acts  of  omission   Status  offences   5    Nature  of  an   Actus  Reus   ACTUS  REUS  (ˈæktəs  ˈreɪəs)   An   act,   omission   or   state   of   affairs   indicated   in   the   definiRon   of   the   offence   charged,   together   with   any   consequences   of   that   act,   and   any   surrounding   circumstances,   which   are   indicated   by  that  definiRon   6    Nature  of  an   Actus  Reus   Act/Conduct  Requirement   Proscribed  conduct  may  include:   1. Acts  of  commission   2. Acts  of  omission   3. States  of  being   7    Nature  of  an   Actus  Reus   Criminal  Liability  for  Acts  of  Omission   Instances  in  which  there  is  a  duty  to  act:   1. Contractual  duty   2. Statutory  duty   3. CreaRng  a  dangerous  situaRon   4. Special  relaRonship   5. Voluntary  undertaking  of  care  for  those   unable  to  care  for  themselves   8    Nature  of  an   Actus  Reus   Criminal  Liability  for  Acts  of  Omission           Criminal  liability  for  acts  of  omission  is     about  RELIANCE  and  CHOICE       9    Nature  of  an   Actus  Reus   Criminal  Liability  for  Situa?onal  Crimes   States  of  Affairs     The  defendant  neither  performed   any  act  nor  failed  to  act  where  she   had  a  duty  to  do  so   10    Sa8sfying  the   Actus  Reus   Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus   Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Causa8on   Reus:  Proof   Reus:  Voluntary   Actus  Reus   Conduct   The  actus  reus   must  be  proved   Important  case  law   11    Proof   The  Actus  Reus  Must  Be  Proved   The  prosecu8on  must  prove:   ➭ The  act,  omission  or  state  of  affairs;     ➭ Any  consequences  of  the  act;    and   ➭ Any  surrounding  circumstances,  which           are  indicated  by  that  definiRon   12    Voluntary   Conduct   Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus   Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Causa8on   Reus:  Proof   Reus:  Voluntary   Actus  Reus   Conduct   The  act  must  be   voluntary   AutomaRsm   13    Voluntary   Conduct   The  Conduct  Must  Be  Voluntary   When  is  an  act  voluntary?       When  it  results  from  an  exercise  of  the  will.    Where  there  are  no:   Ø Physically  coerced  movement   Ø Reflex  movements   Ø Paralysis/Seizures  arising  from  diseases     Ø Unconsciousness   14    Voluntary   Conduct   AUTOMATISM  (ôˈtäməˌRzəm)   The  state  in  which  an  act  is  done  by  the  muscles   without  any  control  by  the  mind  (such  as  a  reflex   acRon,   or   a   spasmodic   or   convulsive   act)   or   if   it   is   done   during   a   state   involving   a   loss   of   consciousness   15    Voluntary   Conduct   Sane  or  Insane  Automa?sm?   Important  ques8on:  How  did  the  automa8sm  arise?   ➭ If  it  arose  from  a  disease  of  the  mind,  the   defendant  is  not  guilty  by  reason  of  insanity   ➭ If  it  arose  from  any  other  cause  the  defendant  is   simply  not  guilty   16    Causa8on   Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus   Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Causa8on   Reus:  Proof   Reus:  Voluntary   Actus  Reus   Conduct   How  do  we   determine   causaRon?   Factual   causaRon   Legal   causaRon   General   principles  of   causaRon   ImplicaRons   17    Causa8on   How  do  we  determine  causa?on?   How  do  we  prove  that  the  result  was  a  consequence   of  the  defendant’s  acRons?   1. Factual  causaRon   2. Legal  causaRon     18    Causa8on   Factual  Causa?on   The  but  for  test:    always  ask,  "but  for  the   defendant’s  conduct,  would  the  harmful   consequence  have  happened  when  and  how  it  did?”   19    Causa8on   Legal  Causa?on   The  proximate  cause:    always  ask,  “should  the   defendant’s  conduct  be  deemed  the  legal  cause   of  the  harmful  result?  ”  and  proceed  with  the  2-­‐ prong  test   20    Causa8on   Novus  Actus  Interveniens   If,  awer  the  defendant  has  acted,  some  other  act  or   event  were  to  occur,  bringing  about  the  proscribed   result,  the  defendant  may  escape  liability     21    Causa8on   General  Principles  of  Causa8on   1. Defendant’s  acRons  need  not  be  the  scienRfic   or  medical  cause  of  the  result   2. Defendant  does  not  need  to  touch  vicRm   3. Defendant  must  take  vicRm  as  she  finds  her   4. Defendant’s  act  need  not  be  the  sole  cause  of   the  consequence   5. An  intervening  act  will  break  the  chain  of   causaRon   22