Delaware Criminal Law Code: Crimes against the Person

1. Delaware Criminal Law Code:Crimes against the Person

2. Murder • Killing with Malice: an intent to kill or cause serious harm • Degrees of Murder identify killer’s state of mind or circumstances during crime

3. 1st Degree and Felony Murder • 1stDegree: Premeditated, deliberate, done with malice • Felony: Malice presumed even if death was accidental • Both punishable by death in DE

4. 2nd Degree • Killing with malice, but no deliberation or premeditation

5. Manslaughter • Voluntary: killing after the victim caused killer to lose self-control • Usually catching a spouse cheating • Involuntary: no intent; cause by reckless behavior • Playing with a loaded gun

6. Negligent Homicide • Failure to exercise a reasonable amount of care that leads to death • Vehicular Homicide

7. Death Penalty possible if murder was committed… • By a person in, escaping or escaped from, custody • For the purpose of avoiding or preventing an arrest • While the defendant was engaged in the commission of, or attempt to commit, or flight after committing or attempting to commit rape, unlawful sexual intercourse, arson, kidnapping, robbery, sodomy or burglary.

8. Death Penalty possible if murder was committed against… • Any law-enforcement officer, corrections employee, firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, fire marshal or fire police officer • A judicial officer, Attorney General, Assistant or Deputy Attorney General, State Detective, Special Investigator • A person who was held or otherwise detained as a shield, hostage or for ransom • A person who was a witness to a crime and killed for the purpose of preventing testimony, or in retaliation for such

9. Death Penalty on the Table if the defendant… • Paid or was paid by another person or had agreed to pay or be paid by another person or had conspired to pay or be paid by another person for the killing of the victim. • Was previously convicted of another murder or manslaughter or of a felony involving the use of, or threat of, force or violence upon another person. • Caused the deaths of 2 or more persons where the deaths are a probable consequence of the defendant's conduct. • Caused or directed another to commit murder or committed murder as an agent or employee of another person. • Was under a sentence of life imprisonment, whether for natural life or otherwise, at the time of the commission of the murder.

10. Death Penalty possible if the victim was… • Pregnant • Severely handicapped or severely disabled • 62 years of age or older • A child 14 years of age or younger, and the murder was committed by an individual who is at least 4 years older than the victim. • A nongovernmental informant or had otherwise provided any investigative, law enforcement or police agency with information concerning criminal activity, and the killing was in retaliation

11. Death penalty if… • Murder was premeditated and the result of substantial planning. • Murder was committed for the purpose of interfering with the victim's free exercise or enjoyment of any right, privilege or immunity protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or because of the victim's race, religion, color, disability, national origin or ancestry. • The murder was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman in that it involved torture, depravity of mind, use of an explosive device or poison or the defendant used such means on the victim prior to murdering the victim.