Criminal Law Fall Launch: Homicide Part One: Murder, Malice Aforethought, Premeditation, Depraved Heart, Felony Murder, and Causation

<p><strong>📘 FREE COMPANION STUDY GUIDE 📘</strong><br /><a href="https://thelawschoolofamerica.com/CriminalLaw2026FallLaunch/criminal_law_chapter_3_study_aide.html#chapter" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">👉 CLICK HERE TO OPEN YOUR FREE STUDY GUIDE 👈</a><br /><em>Turn this episode into an exam-ready study plan.</em></p><p>🎧 EPISODE SUMMARY 🎧Homicide is the killing of a human, which may be lawful or criminal.</p><p>Assess causation, mental state, category, and potential defenses.</p><p>Common-law murder is an unlawful killing with <strong>malice aforethought</strong>.</p><p>Malice requires one of four mental states:</p><ul><li><p>Intent to kill (proven by circumstantial evidence).</p></li><li><p>Intent to inflict serious bodily injury.</p></li><li><p>Extreme reckless indifference (depraved heart).</p></li><li><p>Felony murder.</p></li></ul><p>Premeditation requires prior reflection, distinguishing statutory first-degree murder from second-degree.</p><p>Depraved-heart murder involves high-risk extreme recklessness exceeding criminal negligence.</p><p>Felony murder applies to deaths during inherently dangerous felonies: <strong>burglary, arson, rape, robbery, kidnapping</strong> (BARRK).</p><p>Under the <strong>merger doctrine</strong>, predicate felonies must be independent of the killing.</p><p>Liability spans attempt, commission, and flight until reaching safety.</p><p>The <strong>agency approach</strong> requires a felon to inflict the fatal wound, while the <strong>proximate-cause approach</strong> covers any foreseeable death.</p><p>All homicides require actual cause (but-for) and proximate cause (foreseeable result without superseding acts).</p><p>Remember: <strong>murder is not synonymous with intentional killing</strong>.<br /></p><p>ℹ️ INFORMATION, PRIVACY POLICY &amp; TERMS OF USE ℹ️</p><p><strong>The Podcast and Website Purpose</strong><br />The <strong>Law School Podcast </strong>and<strong> 1L Study Aide</strong> webpage supplements law-school and Bar Exam study with strategies, condensed rules, quizzes, and flashcards.</p><p><strong>Educational Disclaimer</strong><br />Content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal advice, creates no attorney-client relationship, and does not guarantee law-school or Bar Exam success.</p><p><strong>Privacy Policy</strong></p><ul><li>No account or login is required.</li><li>This webpage uses no forms or analytics to collect personal information.</li><li>Quiz and flashcard activity stays in your browser and may clear when local site data is removed.</li></ul><p><strong>Terms of Use</strong><br />By using this webpage, you agree to use its content only for lawful, personal, noncommercial educational purposes. It supplements—not replaces—courses, textbooks, official materials, or qualified instruction.</p>