Homicide

A. General Principles

• 500. Homicide: General Principles
• 501–504. Reserved for Future Use

B. Justifications and Excuses

• 505. Justifiable Homicide: Self-Defense or Defense of Another
• 506. Justifiable Homicide: Defending Against Harm to Person Within Home or on Property
• 507. Justifiable Homicide: By Public Officer
• 508. Justifiable Homicide: Citizen Arrest (Non-Peace Officer)
• 509. Justifiable Homicide: Non-Peace Officer Preserving the Peace
• 510. Excusable Homicide: Accident
• 511. Excusable Homicide: Accident in the Heat of Passion
• 512. Presumption that Killing Not Criminal (Pen. Code, § 194)
• 513–519. Reserved for Future Use

C. Murder: First and Second Degree

• 520. First or Second Degree Murder With Malice Aforethought (Pen. Code, § 187)
• 521. First Degree Murder (Pen. Code, § 189)
• 522. Provocation: Effect on Degree of Murder
• 523. First Degree Murder: Hate Crime (Pen. Code, § 190.03)
• 524. Second Degree Murder: Peace Officer (Pen. Code, § 190(b), (c))
• 525. Second Degree Murder: Discharge From Motor Vehicle
• 526–539. Reserved for Future Use

D. Felony Murder

• Introduction to Felony-Murder Series
• 540A. Felony Murder: First Degree—Defendant Allegedly Committed Fatal Act (Pen. Code, § 189)
• 540B. Felony Murder: First Degree—Coparticipant Allegedly Committed Fatal Act (Pen. Code, § 189)
• 540C. Felony Murder: First Degree—Other Acts Allegedly Caused Death (Pen. Code, § 189)
• 541A. Felony Murder: Second Degree—Defendant Allegedly Committed Fatal Act
• 541B. Felony Murder: Second Degree—Coparticipant Allegedly Committed Fatal Act
• 541C. Felony Murder: Second Degree—Other Acts Allegedly Caused Death
• 542–547. Reserved for Future Use
• 548. Murder: Alternative Theories
• 549. Felony Murder: One Continuous Transaction - Defined
• 550–559. Reserved for Future Use

E. Alternate Theories of Liability

• 560. Homicide: Provocative Act by Defendant
• 561. Homicide: Provocative Act by Accomplice
• 562. Transferred Intent
• 563. Conspiracy to Commit Murder (Pen. Code, § 182)
• 564–569. Reserved for Future Use

F. Manslaughter

• 570. Voluntary Manslaughter: Heat of Passion—Lesser Included Offense (Pen. Code, § 192(a))
• 571. Voluntary Manslaughter: Imperfect Self-Defense or Imperfect Defense of Another—Lesser Included Offense (Pen. Code, § 192)
• 572. Voluntary Manslaughter: Murder Not Charged (Pen. Code, § 192(a))
• 573–579. Reserved for Future Use

• 580. Involuntary Manslaughter: Lesser Included Offense (Pen. Code, § 192(b))
• 581. Involuntary Manslaughter: Murder Not Charged (Pen. Code, § 192(b))
• 582. Involuntary Manslaughter: Failure to Perform Legal Duty—Murder Not Charged (Pen. Code, § 192(b))
• 583–589. Reserved for Future Use

• 590. Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated (Pen. Code, § 191.5(a))
• 591. Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated—Ordinary Negligence (Pen. Code, § 191.5(b))
• 592. Gross Vehicular Manslaughter (Pen. Code, § 192(c)(1))
• 593. Misdemeanor Vehicular Manslaughter—Ordinary Negligence (Pen. Code, § 192(c)(2))
• 594. Vehicular Manslaughter: Collision for Financial Gain (Pen. Code, § 192(c)(4))
• 595. Vehicular Manslaughter: Speeding Laws Defined
• 596–599. Reserved for Future Use

G. Attempt

• 600. Attempted Murder (Pen. Code, §§ 21a, 663, 664)
• 601. Attempted Murder: Deliberation and Premeditation (Pen. Code, §§ 21a, 189, 664(a))
• 602. Attempted Murder: Peace Officer, Firefighter, Custodial Officer, or Custody Assistant (Pen. Code, §§ 21a, 664(e))
• 603. Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter: Heat of Passion—Lesser Included Offense (Pen. Code, §§ 21a, 192, 664)
• 604. Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter: Imperfect Self-Defense—Lesser Included Offense (Pen. Code, §§ 21a, 192, 664)
• 605–619. Reserved for Future Use

H. Causation: Special Issues

• 620. Causation: Special Issues
• 621–624. Reserved for Future Use

I. Impairment Defense

• 625. Voluntary Intoxication: Effects on Homicide Crimes (Pen. Code, § 29.4)
• 626. Voluntary Intoxication Causing Unconsciousness: Effects on Homicide Crimes (Pen. Code, § 29.4)
• 627. Hallucination: Effect on Premeditation
• 628–639. Reserved for Future Use

J. Charge to Jury

• 640. Deliberations and Completion of Verdict Forms: For Use When Defendant Is Charged With First Degree Murder and Jury Is Given Not Guilty Forms for Each Level of Homicide
• 641. Deliberations and Completion of Verdict Forms: For Use When Defendant Is Charged With First Degree Murder and Jury Is Given Only One Not Guilty Verdict Form for Each Count; Not to Be Used When Both Voluntary and Involuntary Manslaughter Are Lesser Included Offenses
• 642. Deliberations and Completion of Verdict Forms: For Use When Defendant Is Charged With Second Degree Murder and Jury Is Given Not Guilty Forms for Each Level of Homicide
• 643. Deliberations and Completion of Verdict Forms: For Use When Defendant Is Charged With Second Degree Murder and Jury Is Given Only One Not Guilty Verdict Form for Each Count; Not to Be Used When Both Voluntary and Involuntary Manslaughter Are Lesser Included Offenses
• 644–699. Reserved for Future Use

K. Special Circumstances

• 700. Special Circumstances: Introduction (Pen. Code, § 190.2)
• 701. Special Circumstances: Intent Requirement for Accomplice Before June 6, 1990
• 702. Special Circumstances: Intent Requirement for Accomplice After June 5, 1990—Other Than Felony Murder (Pen. Code, § 190.2(c))
• 703. Special Circumstances: Intent Requirement for Accomplice After June 5, 1990—Felony Murder (Pen. Code, § 190.2(d))
• 704. Special Circumstances: Circumstantial Evidence—Sufficiency
• 705. Special Circumstances: Circumstantial Evidence—Intent or Mental State
• 706. Special Circumstances: Jury May Not Consider Punishment
• 707. Special Circumstances: Accomplice Testimony Must Be Corroborated—Dispute Whether Witness is Accomplice (Pen. Code, § 1111)
• 708. Special Circumstances: Accomplice Testimony Must Be Corroborated—No Dispute Whether Witness is Accomplice (Pen. Code, § 1111)
• 709–719. Reserved for Future Use

• 720. Special Circumstances: Financial Gain (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(1))
• 721. Special Circumstances: Multiple Murder Convictions (Same Case) (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(3))
• 722. Special Circumstances: By Means of Destructive Device, Pen. Code (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(4) & (6))
• 723. Special Circumstances: Murder to Prevent Arrest or Complete Escape (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(5))
• 724. Special Circumstances: Murder of Peace Officer, Federal Officer, or Firefighter (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(7), (8) & (9))
• 725. Special Circumstances: Murder of Witness (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(10))
• 726. Special Circumstances: Murder of Judge, Prosecutor, Government Official, or Juror (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(11), (12), (13) & (20))
• 727. Special Circumstances: Lying in Wait—Before March 8, 2000 (Former Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(15))
• 728. Special Circumstances: Lying in Wait—After March 7, 2000 (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(15))
• 729. Special Circumstances: Murder Because of Race, Religion, or Nationality (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(16))
• 730. Special Circumstances: Murder in Commission of Felony (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(17))
• 731. Special Circumstances: Murder in Commission of Felony—Kidnapping With Intent to Kill, Pen. Code, § 190.2(A)(17) (After March 8, 2000)
• 732. Special Circumstances: Murder in Commission of Felony—Arson With Intent to Kill, Pen. Code, § 190.2(A)(17)
• 733. Special Circumstances: Murder With Torture (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(18))
• 734. Special Circumstances: Murder by Poison (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(19))
• 735. Special Circumstances: Discharge From Vehicle (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(21))
• 736. Special Circumstances: Killing by Street Gang Member (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(22))
• 737. Special Circumstances: Murder of Transportation Worker (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(25))
• 738–749. Reserved for Future Use

• 750. Special Circumstances: Prior Murder Conviction (Pen. Code, § 190.2(a)(2)—Trial on Prior Murder (Pen. Code, § 190.1(a) & (b))
• 751. Second Degree Murder With Prior Prison for Murder (Pen. Code, § 190.05)
• 752–759. Reserved for Future Use

L. Death Penalty

• 760. Death Penalty: Introduction to Penalty Phase
• 761. Death Penalty: Duty of Jury
• 762. Reserved for Future Use
• 763. Death Penalty: Factors to Consider—Not Identified As Aggravating or Mitigating (Pen. Code, § 190.3)
• 764. Death Penalty: Evidence of Other Violent Crimes
• 765. Death Penalty: Conviction for Other Felony Crimes
• 766. Death Penalty: Weighing Process
• 767. Response to Juror Inquiry During Deliberations About Commutation of Sentence in Death Penalty Case
• 768–774. Reserved for Future Use
• 775. Death Penalty: Mental Retardation (Pen. Code, § 1376)
• 776–779. Reserved for Future Use

© Judicial Council of California.

Last updated April 2018