malice aforethought
Deliberate harmful intent
Malice aforethought is the legal term for the intention to kill or cause serious harm, required to establish murder rather than manslaughter.
The phrase doesn't require literal malice or advance planning—it means the defendant acted with awareness that their conduct could cause death.
The prosecution must prove malice aforethought to secure a murder conviction.
- premeditationAdvance planning of action
- first degree murderIntentional, planned unlawful killing
- murder oneMost serious killing charge
- criminal intentGuilty state of mind
- mens reaBlameworthy mental state
deliberate · intentional · willfulness · by design · evil intent · planning · felony murder · forethought · cold blood · cold blooded murder · calculated · homicide · intent to harm · lying in wait · preparation · law · bloodlust · jurisprudence
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- homicide lawhomicide, murder charge, manslaughter, first-degree murder, second-degree murder
- criminal intentmens rea, guilty mind, criminal intent, intent, premeditation
malice aforethoughtcrime of passion
Impulsive violent act from emotion
heat of passion · unpremeditated · snap decision · instantaneous reaction · temporary insanity
malice aforethoughtaccident
Unintended harmful event
accidental killing · involuntary manslaughter · negligent homicide · misadventure · unintentional harm
malice aforethoughtaccident
Unintended harmful event
accidental harm · negligence · unintentional · inadvertent · involuntary