crime of passion
Heat-of-moment killing
A crime of passion is a violent act, typically murder, committed in the heat of intense emotion rather than with premeditation.
The phrase usually describes someone who kills upon discovering a spouse's infidelity or similar betrayal: He walked in on them together and shot them both—his lawyer argued it was a crime of passion.
In some legal systems, this emotional state has historically reduced charges or sentences, though such defenses have weakened over time.
- spur of the momentDone without prior planning
- blind rageUncontrolled, unseeing anger
- motiveReason for action
- loverRomantic intimate
- provocationAct that triggers response
in the heat of the moment · domestic dispute · emotional distress · hate · honor killing · jealousy · love triangle · anger · infidelity · rage · manslaughter · murder · impulsive behavior · legal defense · betrayal · temporary insanity · mitigating circumstances · voluntary manslaughter
- thriller tropesplot twist, red herring, cliffhanger, whodunit, femme fatale
- murderhomicide, manslaughter, assassination, premeditated murder, serial killing
crime of passionpremeditated murder
Deliberate, planned killing
first-degree murder · contract killing · murder for hire · conspiracy · assassination
crime, passion, criminal, passionate, crimes, compassionate, criminality, dispassionate, incriminate