How has the common law felony-murder doctrine been interpreted?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Laursen, 22 Cal.App.3d 1033, 99 Cal.Rptr. 841 (Cal. App. 1972):
The doctrine was stated in the early felony-murder case of People v. Boss (1930) 210 Cal. 245, 250-251, 290 P. 881, which involved a murder prosecution as a result of the defendants' having killed a person who was pursuing them in their flight from the scene of a robbery they had committed.
The common law felony-murder doctrine was codified in Penal Code section 189 and applies to a homicide committed in the 'perpetration' of robbery, rather than to 'any person who kidnaps . . . to commit robbery' (Pen.Code, 209). As applied in the felony-murder context, it has always been enough to show that the felony and the killing are part of a continuous transaction (People v. Chavez (1951) 37 Cal.2d 656, 234 P.2d 632). In that case the court restated the law:
"The most advanced legal research software ever built."
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.
