Believing that murder is an art and in carrying it out successfully they will prove themselves "superior beings", Brandon and Phillip intentionally strangle their former classmate Dennis with a rope. The actus reus is the act of strangulation- that is putting the rope around the neck of Dennis and cutting off the circulation of blood to his brain until he is dead. The mens rea refers to the guilty mental state of the two men. In this case, mens rea is the men's intentional wish to bring about the death of Dennis as they strangle him.
Actus reus
The act or omissions that comprise the physical elements of a crime as required by statute. See, e.g. Schad v. Arizona, 501 U.S. 624 (1991).
The statutory definition of a crime pairs Actus Reus with Mens rea, the psychological state defining a criminal perpetrator as culpable for having committed a crime.
See criminal law
Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary
Latin for a "guilty act." The actus reus is the act which, in combination with a certain mental state, such as intent or recklessness, constitutes a crime. For example, the crime of theft requires physically taking something (the actus reus) coupled with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the object (the mental state, or mens rea).
Definition provided by Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary.
August 19, 2010, 5:10 pm
