Local Law Firms Home > Criminal Defense Overview > Criminal Defense Murder Homicide Attorney > Actus Reus Actus Reus In many situations, the actus reus will be an explicit act, such as in the case of murder. In other situations, it will be a prohibited state of affairs, for example, illegal possession of a deadly weapon. In certain scenarios, the actus reus can be an omission to a crime, but often only when the accused had a legal responsibility to act. Occasionally, the actus reus may not be the criminal act itself, but the impact it has on the victim, or the scenarios that surround it. It is important that the actus reus be a voluntary crime; if the accused individual could not have done anything different then not only may the individual be found not guilty, but then the actus reus is ruled to not have happened. On the other hand, there will be the 'actus' portion, which is the act itself, but it will not be 'reus'. Are you or a loved one facing murder charges? Would you like more information about the actus reus? Our criminal defense attorneys can help! Contact our criminal defense lawyers in your area today for more information. In addition to homicide cases regarding actus reus and mens rea, our criminal defense lawyers work in many other criminal practice areas, including but not limited to:
The actus reus of a crime normally consists of doing something. The common rule of thumb is that an omission to a crime will not constitute the actus reus of an act. On the other hand, there are certain scenarios where an omission to a crime could possibly amount to the actus reus of a crime. Do you or someone you know have additional questions regarding the actus reus in a murder charge? Our criminal defense lawyers are here to help! Contact a criminal defense attorney in your local area today. Did you know? |