cannibalism
Cannibalism is the consumption of another human’s body matter, whether consensual or not. In the United States, there are no laws that explicitly prohibit cannibalism per se. However, most (if not all) states have enacted laws that make it effectively impossible to legally obtain and consume human body matter. For instance, a person would likely be charged with murder, regardless of consent. Even if a person consents to being eaten and ends their own life, the individual who consumes the body may still face criminal or civil liability under laws governing the abuse or desecration of a corpse, which vary by jurisdiction.
For example, Oklahoma, 21 OK Stat § 21-1161.1 (2024), subsection D, states:
"For purposes of this section, “desecration of a human corpse” means any act committed after the death of a human being including, but not limited to, dismemberment, disfigurement, mutilation, burning, or any act committed to cause the dead body to be devoured, scattered or dissipated; except, those procedures performed by a state agency or licensed authority in due course of its duties and responsibilities for forensic examination, gathering or removing crime scene evidence, presentation or preservation of evidence, dead body identification, cause of death, autopsy, cremation or burial, organ donation, use of a cadaver for medical educational purposes, or other necessary procedures to identify, remove or dispose of a dead body by the proper authority."
Notable Cases
Regina v. Dudley and Stephens (1884) – England
This foundational case common law established that necessity is not a defense to murder, even in cases involving survival cannibalism. After a shipwreck in the 19th century, two of the defendants and two other sailors were stranded at sea with no fresh water and almost no food. One crew member fell into a coma after drinking seawater. Dudley then killed him, and the remaining three survivors consumed his body. After rescue, Dudley and Stephens were charged with murder. Despite the extreme circumstances and the victim’s likely imminent death, they were found guilty and sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to six months in prison.
Jeffrey Dahmer (1991) – Wisconsin, United States
The most infamous American cannibal is serial killer Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer. Dahmer was charged with 17 counts of murder spanning from 1978-1990. While cannibalism was part of the factual record, it was not a distinct criminal charge. Jeffrey Dahmer was convicted of multiple counts of murder and abuse of corpses in both Wisconsin and Ohio, and was sentenced to 16 terms of life in prison. Jeffrey Dahmer was beaten to death by another inmate in 1994.
Armin Meiwes Case (2001) – Germany
A German man named Armin Meiwes found a willing participant through a cannibalism fetish website. The man consented to be killed and eaten. After meeting, Meiwes killed the victim, butchered the body, and froze the flesh for future consumption. Although cannibalism itself was not explicitly illegal in Germany at the time, Meiwes was initially convicted of manslaughter. Following a retrial requested by prosecutors, he was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
[Last reviewed in June of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]
Keywords
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