Law Murder points

Actus Reus of Murder

"Unlwaful killing of a reasonable creature in being under the Queen's peace"- Lord Justice Cooke (begining/end of life)
- Not applicable to foetus (infanticide - Attorney-General's Refrence (No 3 of 1994))
- Brain dead - (R V MALCHEREK)
Must be voluntary (R V MISS T, HILL V BAXTER)
Can be an omission if under one of four main exceptions
- (R V PITTWOOD) (R V GIBBONS & PROCTOR) (R V STONE & DOBINSON) (R V MILLER)
Factual causation
- R V PAGGETT, R V WHITE
Legal causation
- R V KIMSEY
Think skull principle
- R V BLAUE
Novus Actus Intervins (3rd party, VOA, natural but unpredictable event)
- Medical (R V SMITH, R V CHESHIRE, R V JORDAN)
- Victims Own Actions (R V ROBERTS, R V WILLIAMS)

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"Malice aforethought, expressed or implied)
- Expressed - intent to kill
- Implied - intent as to cause GBH (R V VICKERS, R V CUNNINGHAM)
Foresight of consequences (Distinction between direct and oblique)
- R V NEDRICK - "Is out come virtually certain AND did D forsee this?"
  - Confirmed in R V WOOLLIN (leading case now)
  - (older cases) R V MOLONEY, R V HANCOCK & SHANKLAND (used Moloney)
  - R V MATTHEWS AND ALLEYENE
Transferred malice (victim not the intended, R V LATIMER, R V MITCHELL)
Coincidence (AR & MR present at same time, THABO MELI V R)

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Must satisfy three parts
- Abnormality of mental function
  - Sexual psychopath (R V BYRNE)
  - Depression (R V GITTENS)
  - PMS (R V ENGLISH)
- Substantially impair the following:
  - Understand nature of conduct
  - Ability to form rational judgement (R V AHLUWALIA)
  - Ability to exercise self control (R V BYRNE)
- Provides explanation for D's conduct
  - (CORONERS & JUSTICE ACT 2009)
Can't be immdeiate effects of drugs (R V DI DUCA) or alchohol (R V TANDY)
Can possibly be intoxication and a pre-existing abnormality
- R V DIETSCHMANN
  - R V HENDY
  - R V ROBSON
Possibly due to addiction/dependancy
- R V WOOD
Down to defendant to prove on balance of probs

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