crimes of passion

Rage-driven violent acts

Crimes of passion are violent acts, typically murder, committed in a sudden rage triggered by emotional provocation—usually discovering a spouse's infidelity or similar betrayal.

The term implies the perpetrator acted on overwhelming emotion rather than premeditation: His attorney argued it was a crime of passion, not calculated murder.

Some legal systems historically treated such crimes more leniently, though this distinction has diminished.

Related

heat of the moment · second degree murder · panic · jealousy · jilted lover · trials · mitigating circumstances · betrayal · felony · manslaughter · infidelity · obsession · unrequited love · love triangles · fatal attraction · impulsivity · provocation · film noir

Opposites
premeditation

crimes of passionpremeditated murder

Deliberate, planned killing

conspiracy to murder · contract killing · assassination · first-degree murder · plotting

motivation type

crimes of passioncontract killing

Paid assassination job

murder for hire · political assassination · organized crime · white-collar crime · terrorism

Family

crime, crimes, criminal, criminals, criminality, criminalize, criminalized, criminalizing, criminalization

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