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Article: Legal definitions create a fine line between crimes.
- Article from:
- The Boston Herald
- Article date:
- November 4, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Boston Herald. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In convicting Louise Woodward of second-degree murder, her 12-person jury relied on a legalistic definition of that crime that is nearly identical to the definition of involuntary manslaughter, law experts say.
Under Massachusetts law, second-degree murder - which requires that a jury find malice aforethought - has three prongs. The first two prongs, intent to kill or intent to cause grave bodily harm, were rejected by Woodward's jury.
Instead, they settled on the "third prong" of second-degree murder, the nuances of which are the subject of endless debate in the legal community.
Essentially, the third prong requires that the prosecution ...