homicide

Definition of homicide

Etymology

From Latin homicīda ("man-slayer") and homicīdium ("manslaughter").

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈhɒmɪsaɪd/, SAMPA: /"hQmIsaId/
• (UK) enPR: h�mʹə-sīd, IPA: /ˈhɑməsaɪd/, SAMPA: /"hAm@saId/ or enPR: hōʹmə-sīd, IPA: /ˈhoʊməsaɪd/, SAMPA: /"hoUm@saId/

Noun

homicide (plural homicides)

1. (uncountable) The killing of one person by another, whether premeditated or unintentional.
2. (countable) A person who kills another.
3. (countable, US, police jargon) A victim of homicide; a person who has been unlawfully killed by someone else.

Synonyms

• (unlawful killing of a person by another): assassination, killing, first-degree murder (US; intentional), manslaughter (unintentional), murder (intentional), second-degree murder (US; unintentional)
• (person who unlawfully kills another person): assassin, killer, man-slayer, murderer
• (victim of homicide): murder victim

Derived terms

• homicidal

Further reading

Homicide (Latin homicidium, homo human being + caedere to cut, kill) refers to the act of a human killing a human being.[1] A common form of homicide, for example, would be murder. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English. Homicide is not always an illegal act, so although "homicide" is often used as a synonym for "murder," this is not formally correct.

Non-criminal homicide

Homicides do not always involve a crime. Sometimes the law allows homicide by allowing certain defenses to criminal charges. One of the most recognized is self defense, which provides that a person is entitled to commit homicide to protect his or her own life from a deadly attack.

Some defenses include:

• Right of self-defense and defence of others
• Insanity defense�There are several tests to check insanity
  • M'Naghten Rules
  • Insane delusion
  • Irresistible impulse test
  • Substantial capacity test
  • Durham rule
  • Diminished capacity test
• Duress
• Defence of property
• Prevention of a crime
• Privilege of public authority�A person who has public authority to commit an act is not criminally liable.
• Entrapment�The defense of entrapment exists when a law enforcement officer (or an agent of an officer) solicits, induces, or encourages another to commit a crime which they otherwise would not have committed.
• Mistake of fact�The defense of Mistake of Fact asserts that a mistake of fact will disprove a criminal charge if it is honestly entertained, based upon reasonable grounds and is of such a nature that the conduct would have been lawful had the facts been as they were supposed to be.
• Mistake of law�Not a valid defense to crime except in rare instances where it negates an essential element of the crime. Therefore the old saying "ignorance of law is no excuse" is appropriate as a general rule.
• Unconsciousness�The defense of Unconsciousness holds that one who is unconscious, for instance, someone walking in their sleep, does not have the capacity to commit a crime.