Murder is one of the most serious crimes that can be committed and can carry some of the harshest penalties, including life imprisonment or death. Murder offences occur all around the world and affect not only the victims’ families but also their communities. This article explores research and data about homicides, how they differ across countries and how they have changed over time.
Many murder cases are resolved through the use of forensic evidence. However, it is the information gathered from witnesses and other people involved in an investigation that can often help detectives build a case against a suspect. This is why it is important for anyone with a connection to a homicide case to contact the police.
In order to be convicted of murder, the prosecution needs to prove that a person intended to kill someone and did so. In order to form this intention the killer must have had some time – albeit, in the case of premeditated murder, a relatively short amount of time – to consider their action. The classic example of premeditation is a wife buying rat poison and pouring it into her husband’s tea.
However, even in the most brutal and deliberate of cases it can be difficult for prosecutors to establish intent. In these situations, a defence lawyer may seek to reduce the charges to manslaughter by showing that their client acted in the heat of the moment or was not fully in control of their actions. They may also try to prove that their client was suffering from a mental illness, e.g. schizophrenia, which would prevent them from forming the required intent.