Criminal

 Law  I  Lecture  II:  Elements  of  a  

Crime:  Actus  Reus  
By:  Dr.  Janeille  Zorina  Ma1hews  
 Introduc8on  

Nature  of  an   Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus  

Introduc8on   Reus:  Voluntary   Causa8on  
Actus  Reus   Reus:  Proof  
Conduct  
• Lecture  I  summary  
• Important  themes  
in  criminal  law  
• Three  components  
of  criminal  liability  

2  
 Introduc8on  

Important  Themes  in  Criminal  Law  

q ACT  V.  OMISSION:  How  much  conduct  is  enough?  
When  is  failure  to  act  enough?  When  should  
accomplices/conspirators  be  held  criminally  liable?  
 

q CONDUCT  V.  INTENT:  What  mental  state  ought  to  be  

required  to  send  someone  to  prison?  
 

q PRIMACY  OF  INTENT:  What  is  the  relaRonship  between  

intent  and  moRve?  
 

q DEFENCES:  If  there  is  liability,  when  should  we  give  

people  a  defence?  
3  
 Introduc8on  

“An  act  does  not  make  a  man  guilty  of  a  crime,  unless  his  mind  is  also  guilty.”  
           -­‐-­‐Haughton  v.  Smith  [1975]  AC  476  at  491  

Three  Components  of  Criminal  Liability  

Actus  Reus   Mens  Rea   No  Defence  
The  actual   The  criminal  state   The  absence  of  an  
criminal  act  –  the   of  mind  –  the   exculpatory  defence,  
conduct  
 
intent   jusRficaRon  or  excuse  
 
 
 
 

The  conduct  must   The  intent  may   Where  a  defence  is  

be  proven   be  inferred   raised,  the  prosecuRon  
must  negate  it  by  proof  
beyond  reasonable  
doubt              

4  
 Nature  of  an  
Actus  Reus  

Sa8sfying  Actus  
Nature  of  an   Sa8sfying  Actus  
Introduc8on   Reus:  Voluntary   Causa8on  
Actus  Reus   Reus:  Proof  
Conduct  
• Actus  Reus  defined  
• Act/conduct  
requirement  
• Acts  of  omission  
• Status  offences  

5  
 Nature  of  an  
Actus  Reus  

ACTUS  REUS  (ˈæktəs  ˈreɪəs)  

An   act,   omission   or   state   of   affairs   indicated   in  
the   definiRon   of   the   offence   charged,   together  
with   any   consequences   of   that   act,   and   any  
surrounding   circumstances,   which   are   indicated  
by  that  definiRon  

6  
 Nature  of  an  
Actus  Reus  

Act/Conduct  Requirement  

Proscribed  conduct  may  include:  

1. Acts  of  commission  

2. Acts  of  omission  

3. States  of  being  

7  
 Nature  of  an  
Actus  Reus  

Criminal  Liability  for  Acts  of  Omission  

Instances  in  which  there  is  a  duty  to  act:  

1. Contractual  duty  
2. Statutory  duty  
3. CreaRng  a  dangerous  situaRon  
4. Special  relaRonship  
5. Voluntary  undertaking  of  care  for  those  
unable  to  care  for  themselves  
8  
 Nature  of  an  
Actus  Reus  

Criminal  Liability  for  Acts  of  Omission  

 
 
 
  Criminal  liability  for  acts  of  omission  is  
  about  RELIANCE  and  CHOICE  
 
 

9  
 Nature  of  an  
Actus  Reus  

Criminal  Liability  for  Situa?onal  Crimes  

States  of  Affairs  

 

The  defendant  neither  performed  

any  act  nor  failed  to  act  where  she  
had  a  duty  to  do  so  

10  
 Sa8sfying  the  
Actus  Reus  

Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus  

Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Causa8on  
Reus:  Proof   Reus:  Voluntary  
Actus  Reus  
Conduct  
• The  actus  reus  
must  be  proved  
• Important  case  law  

11  
 Proof  

The  Actus  Reus  Must  Be  Proved  

The  prosecu8on  must  prove:  

➭  The  act,  omission  or  state  of  affairs;    
➭  Any  consequences  of  the  act;    and  
➭  Any  surrounding  circumstances,  which          
are  indicated  by  that  definiRon  

12  
 Voluntary  
Conduct  

Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus  

Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Causa8on  
Reus:  Proof   Reus:  Voluntary  
Actus  Reus  
Conduct  
• The  act  must  be  
voluntary  
• AutomaRsm  

13  
 Voluntary  
Conduct  

The  Conduct  Must  Be  Voluntary  

When  is  an  act  voluntary?  
   
When  it  results  from  an  exercise  of  the  will.    Where  there  are  no:  
Ø Physically  coerced  movement  
Ø Reflex  movements  
Ø Paralysis/Seizures  arising  from  diseases    
Ø Unconsciousness  

14  
 Voluntary  
Conduct  

AUTOMATISM  (ôˈtäməˌRzəm)  
The  state  in  which  an  act  is  done  by  the  muscles  
without  any  control  by  the  mind  (such  as  a  reflex  
acRon,   or   a   spasmodic   or   convulsive   act)   or   if   it   is  
done   during   a   state   involving   a   loss   of  
consciousness  

15  
 Voluntary  
Conduct  

Sane  or  Insane  Automa?sm?  

Important  ques8on:  How  did  the  automa8sm  arise?  

➭  If  it  arose  from  a  disease  of  the  mind,  the  
defendant  is  not  guilty  by  reason  of  insanity  
➭  If  it  arose  from  any  other  cause  the  defendant  is  
simply  not  guilty  

16  
 Causa8on  

Sa8sfying  Actus   Sa8sfying  Actus  

Introduc8on   Nature  of  an   Causa8on  
Reus:  Proof   Reus:  Voluntary  
Actus  Reus  
Conduct  
• How  do  we  
determine  
causaRon?  
• Factual  
causaRon  
• Legal  
causaRon  
• General  
principles  of  
causaRon  
• ImplicaRons  
17  
 Causa8on  

How  do  we  determine  causa?on?  

How  do  we  prove  that  the  result  was  a  consequence  

of  the  defendant’s  acRons?  

1. Factual  causaRon  

2. Legal  causaRon  
 

18  
 Causa8on  

Factual  Causa?on  
The  but  for  test:    always  ask,  "but  for  the  
defendant’s  conduct,  would  the  harmful  
consequence  have  happened  when  and  how  it  did?”  

19  
 Causa8on  

Legal  Causa?on  
The  proximate  cause:    always  ask,  “should  the  
defendant’s  conduct  be  deemed  the  legal  cause  
of  the  harmful  result?  ”  and  proceed  with  the  2-­‐
prong  test  

20  
 Causa8on  

Novus  Actus  Interveniens  

If,  awer  the  defendant  has  acted,  some  other  act  or  
event  were  to  occur,  bringing  about  the  proscribed  
result,  the  defendant  may  escape  liability  
 

21  
 Causa8on  

General  Principles  of  Causa8on  

1.  Defendant’s  acRons  need  not  be  the  scienRfic  
or  medical  cause  of  the  result  
2.  Defendant  does  not  need  to  touch  vicRm  
3.  Defendant  must  take  vicRm  as  she  finds  her  
4.  Defendant’s  act  need  not  be  the  sole  cause  of  
the  consequence  
5.  An  intervening  act  will  break  the  chain  of  
causaRon  

22