In the state of
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, the
common law
In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
felony murder rule has been codified in Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-3-103. As of September 15, 2021, the
statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs the legal entities of a city, state, or country by way of consent. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. Statutes are rules made by le ...
classifies a
homicide
Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...
as
second degree murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
when committed during one of these predicate
felonies
A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...
:
*Committing or attempting to commit arson, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, sexual assault, or a class 3 felony sexual assault on a child
*Or if in the course of one of these crimes or the immediate escape from it, anyone causes the death of a person other than one of the participants
See also
*
Law of Colorado
The law of Colorado consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, regulatory, local, and case law. The '' Colorado Revised Statutes'' form the general statutory law.
Sources
The Constitution of Colorado is the foremost source ...
References
{{reflist
Murder in Colorado
Colorado law
U.S. state criminal law