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Abortion sniper asks for mercy


video posted by: djgreetings on August 02, 2009

Anti-abortion extremist James Kopp stood trial on a charge prosecutors hope will keep him jailed forever, even though the convicted killer is already serving a life sentence for the sniper slaying of an abortion provider.

Degrees of Criminal Charges Involving Killing

by: Joseph Devine

There are varying degrees of criminal charges that can be put against you in the event that you kill someone. These different degrees can range from murder in the first degree down to manslaughter. If you are being charged with killing someone, it is important to know the differences between these different levels of killing, and the penalties that accompany them.

The most serious and harshly penalized form of killing another person is murder in the first degree. This is a premeditated killing that involves a state of mind known as malice. Malice is very basically defined as intent to kill.

The necessary aspects of the crime that make it first degree murder are premeditation and the state of mind of the killer. If one of these two things is missing, the crime cannot be considered murder in the first degree. However, it is possible to be charged with first degree murder without killing another person. If there are multiple people committing a felony and one of them dies, the others can be charged with murder in the first degree. This is an exception to the rule aforementioned.

One step below murder in the first degree is murder in the second degree. Second degree murder is the charge put against the killer if the crime was not premeditated. The malicious state of mind, however, is still present in the act of second degree murder.

Murder in the second degree must be proven to be intentional. This means that the killer must have been trying to kill another person. The only thing that separates murder in the first degree from murder in the second degree is the lack of premeditation. An exception to this rule can be found in suicide pacts. If two or more people try to commit suicide by killing each other, it is common for one of those people to survive. This leaves the survivor with a second degree murder charge.

After murder in the second degree comes manslaughter in its many forms. Manslaughter is not premeditated, nor is there generally a state of malice. There are, however, certain circumstances under which the killer was in a state of malice, but is charged with manslaughter instead of murder in the second degree. This is because the circumstances surrounding the killing mitigate the killer's liability.

The different levels of charges involving the killing of another person can get somewhat confusing at times.


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Jim - 3/14/2010 12:05:42 AM

Maybe it's me, but it seems that a larger percentage of the angry anti-abortion faction are men. Men that will never have a baby, or an abortion. If they are so serious about this they should remember that women don't get pregnant alone and direct some of their efforts at the men that impregnate them. If men were in danger of losing ANYTHING in this debate (perhaps a testicle?, for being the ones that impregnate the women and often the ones that refuse to take any responsibility, the ones that sometimes actually encourage the women to "Get rid of it.") the tone of the protest would probably become much less aggressive, less militant, and more compassionate. Stop complaining about the effect and deal with the cause. Stop shooting Doctors and start raising more responsible sons.

The Angry Brit - 1/5/2010 6:04:55 AM

You Yanks make me laugh, I can't believe you are even debating this. The guy murdered a Dr for carrying out a legal medical procedure and even if it was illegal what gives this psycho the right to take matters into his own hands. Mind you this is the country that would have had Sarah Palin as VP......leaders of the free world my bum.

cindi - 8/15/2009 10:30:39 AM

No mercy! What he did is premeditated murder. He should have been so charged. He made a choice and got off easy.

Chris - 8/15/2009 10:21:39 AM

He did kill a murderer. Abortion should be outlawed

Eric - 8/15/2009 12:08:15 AM

abortion is not illegal, murder is illegal, the doctor did not commit a crime, he committed a crime, the doctor was innocent, he was guilty, in all fairness (meaning regardless of your personal beliefs which only count for yourself) he deserves to be punished just as any other murderer would.

Al Greenberg - 8/14/2009 10:29:42 AM

AS the worst kind of terrorist, He should be sent to Guantanamo, and tortured over and over again YAHOO Why wont you list my comment?

John Doe - 8/14/2009 9:51:55 AM

He killed a murder...he has done a great service to this country.

MC - 8/14/2009 8:45:30 AM

He may be sorry for what he did, but he's probably only sorry for himself because he got caught. He needs to stay in jail. Period.

Mary - 8/13/2009 1:16:21 PM

He still murdered the doctor. He's still liable. And I doubt if he won't do it again given a chance. So I don't feel good about him getting out of prison.

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