Exam 3: Inside Criminal Law

In most cases, a person's motive for committing a crime is irrelevant-a court will not try toread the accused's mind. over the past few decades, however, nearly every state and the federal government have passed hate crime laws that make the suspect's motive an important attendant circumstance tohis or her criminal act. In general, hate crime laws provide for greater sanctions against those whocommit crimes motivated by bias against a person based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age. As a federal prosecutor in the northern district of Virginia, you have been presented with a case that involves a 19-year old Caucasian college student whois a recent Muslim convert whohas been posting pro-ISIS and anti-Christian comments on his Facebook page, advocating "death tothose whodonot follow Allah." Based on his months of posting these types of hate-filled messages, one of his many Facebook followers, a 17-year old boy, walked intoa Baptist Church one Sunday morning and opened fire, killing twochurchgoers. The young boy was arrested, and during his questioning, he admitted that he was inspired by the pro-ISIS sympathizer's Facebook posts. As a federal prosecutor, what charges (if any)doyou bring against the shooter, and more importantly, the pro-ISIS convert whowas using Facebook tospread anti-Christian propaganda?

In ____, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that confessions of suspects not notified of their specific due process rights are invalid. ​

What is the defense for criminal liability that is used toassert a lack of criminal responsibility because, according tolaw, a person cannot have the requisite state of mind tocommit a crime? ​

A common law test of criminal responsibility that relies on the defendant's inability todistinguish right from wrong is the _______ ​

In a criminal case, the burden of proof is ___________ ​

In reference tointent,_______ refers tothe state of being aware that a risk does or will exist and nevertheless acting in a way that consciously disregards this risk. ​

Discuss the key purposes and functions of our criminal law system. ​

Crimes motivated by bias against an individual or a group based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age are considered  ____ . ​

Substantive criminal law defines the acts that the government will punish. ​

The rules, orders, and decisions of regulatory agencies make up ________ ​

The guilty act in a criminal offense is referred toas _________ ​

A state statute applies only within that state's borders. ​

Contrast the major differences between our civil law and criminal law systems. ​

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and as such, it is the basis of all law in the United States. ​

Texas laws, such as making the theft of cattle a felony, are examples of ______ ​

In a criminal case, the wrongful act is the violation of a statute that prohibits some type of activity. ​

Case law refers toonly criminal matters of law. ​

Which of the following is NoT an excuse defense? ​

State law prevails whenever it is in conflict with federal law. ​

Murder, rape, and theft are examples of ____crimes. ​