FIRST DEGREE MURDER ROBBERY ARSON

First Degree Murder Robbery Arson

First Degree Murder Robbery Arson

First Degree Murder

The most heinous of the homicide crimes fall within the category of first-degree murder, in which punishment is most severe, even death in some states. First-degree murder is often unofficially referred to as “Murder One.” Though the laws vary from state to state, several types of homicides are likely to be classified as first-degree murders, most commonly, premeditated, deliberate murder, cruel and brutal murder, and felony murder.

Those who coldly carry out a plan to kill another can find themselves charged with first-degree murder. It is one thing to lash out in rage and strike a blow that brings about death. It is quite another to coldly weigh all options and decide on murder as the best solution (Fox, 1998).

Premeditated- and deliberate-murder statutes generally state that one is guilty of first-degree murder if he or she kills another person with both premeditation—on purpose and pursuant to a plan—and deliberation—in cold blood, not in a sudden burst of rage. The period of cool reflection that constitutes premeditation and deliberation can be extremely short; it is not how long one considers one's options, but the fact that one considered and coolly made the evil choice.

Premeditation and deliberation can be inferred from facts. For example, lying in wait to ambush a victim or slipping poison into a spouse's food and sitting by while he eats imply cool deliberation and premeditation. Jurors need not always have direct evidence such as a confession saying, “I decided to kill her so I made a plan and then carried it out,” to find a defendant guilty of first-degree murder (Fox, 1998).

All jurisdictions consider deliberate and premeditated murders to be murder in the first degree. Only the punishment varies from state to state, some providing the death penalty.

Robbery

Robbery is one of the crimes most feared by Americans as it combines force, loss of property, and uncertainty about outcomes. Robbery is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its Uniform Crime Reports (1999) as “the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or putting the victim in fear.” This formal definition includes several important subcategories: robberies with and without injuries, and attempted and completed acts of robbery. Robberies come in a variety of forms, ranging from the least serious forms, such as “snatch and grab” attempts on the street that more closely resemble purse snatching, to home invasions with armed intruders holding family members hostage(Hobson, 1996).

It also is important to distinguish between the different kinds of robbery targets, such as persons or commercial establishments. The most common form of robbery occurs on a street between strangers, and involves a weapon. The robber typically is armed with a gun and gets a relatively small amount of money. In fact, the average robbery nets just under $1,000.

Robberies are a process that includes many ...