Murders and Aggravated Assault

Aggravated assault and murder are some of the most heinous crimes that occur in our society today.  It is stated in the news that there are around 1-4 cases of murders and around 300 reported victims of aggravated assault in every 10,000 people per year. Moreover, the data still vary depending on the type of country’s progress. It follows that as the country is more developed, the crime rates are higher.

Both the aggravated assault and murder involved more than one party of conflicting views which leads to infliction of harm over the other party. The crimes mentioned are considered to be the worst crimes in our society and the perpetuators are subjected to long time in prison depending on the place where the crime is committed. Different countries have different punishments for murder and aggravated assault. (Answer.com, 2006)

Although the two crimes results to serious physical damage, they usually differ according to some factors. Aggravated assault takes place when an individual is provoked or pushed to do such act. Moreover, the situation or the defendant himself is the reason why the event took place. The use of a deadly weapon to attack an individual and causes a serious physical injury or even death to that individual is also a classification of aggravated assault not to mention it is also an element in murder.

On the other hand, murder, also termed as killing, is associated with premeditation which means that there is an intension to harm or to kill in murder unlike in the aggravated assault. In this regard, the person who committed the crime planned and escaped from that act. Therefore, one can only be charged and accused by murder if s/he commits the elements actus reus and mens rea which are Latin for “guilty act” and “guilty mind”.  Therefore, murder differs with aggravated assault if there is the presence of malice or intension to harm the other individual.  (Investigation, 2004)

References:

Answer.com. (2006). murder.   Retrieved November 15, 2006, from http://www.answers.com/topic/murder

Investigation, D. o. J. F. B. o. (2004). Aggravated assault. from http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/offenses_reported/violent_crime/aggravated_assault.html