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Mayhem (crime)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
| Criminal law |
|---|
| Part of the common law series |
| Elements of crimes |
| Actus reus · Causation · Concurrence |
| Mens rea · Intention (general) |
| Intention in English law · Recklessness |
| Willful blindness · Criminal negligence |
| Ignorantia juris non excusat |
| Vicarious liability · Corporate liability |
| Strict liability |
| Classes of crimes |
| Felony/Indictable · Hybrid offence |
| Misdemeanor/Summary |
| Infraction |
| Lesser included offense |
| Crimes against the person |
| Assault · Battery · Robbery |
| Kidnapping · Rape |
| Mayhem · Manslaughter · Murder |
| Crimes against property |
| Burglary · Larceny · Arson |
| Embezzlement · False pretenses |
| Extortion · Forgery · Computer crime |
| Crimes against justice |
| Obstruction of justice · Bribery |
| Perjury · Misprision of felony |
| Inchoate offenses |
| Solicitation · Attempt |
| Conspiracy · Accessory |
| Subsets |
| Criminal procedure |
| Criminal defenses |
| Other areas of the common law |
| Contract law · Tort law · Property law |
| Wills and trusts · Evidence |
| Portals: Law · Criminal justice |
Mayhem, under the common law of crimes, consisted of the intentional and wanton removal of a body part that would handicap a person's ability to defend himself in combat. Under the strict common law definition, this required damage to an eye or a limb, while cutting off an ear or a nose was deemed not sufficiently disabling. Later the meaning of the crime expanded to encompass any mutilation, disfigurement, or crippling act done using any instrument. The noun "mayhem", and the verb "maim", came from Old French mahaing.
In modern times, the offense of mayhem has been superseded in many jurisdictions by statutorily defined offenses such as aggravated battery.
The term "mayhem" is now often used to refer more generally to havoc and disorder, often in a jocular sense. This change arose from people reading newspapers misunderstanding the journalese phrase "rioting and mayhem".
- John C. Klotter and Terry D. Edwards, Criminal Law, fifth edition (Anderson Publishing: Cincinnati, Ohio, 1998). ISBN 0-87084-527-6.