A Study of Twenty-Two Men Convicted of Murder in the First Degree

Abstract

Premeditation, in its accepted sense, involves a deliberate plan or intention in preparing for the commission of the act. In retrospect, there appears to be no mitigating circumstances in the eyes of the law. No element of self defense or legal insanity can be proven. When murder occurs during the commission of a felony, it automatically becomes first degree murder to every one of the individuals taking part in the felony. In this study-eight out of the twenty-two were sentenced for this crime who actually did not commit murder.