Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) BA State Certification Practice Exam

A situation where someone believes they are justified in killing another due to unreasonable beliefs is categorized under which type of murder?

1. Voluntary manslaughter

2. Involuntary manslaughter

3. Second degree murder

4. First degree murder

The correct answer is: Second degree murder

The scenario described involves a person acting on unreasonable beliefs to justify killing another person. This aligns with the definition of second-degree murder, as it encompasses situations where an individual intends to kill or seriously harm another without premeditation or deliberation—the key distinguishing factor from first-degree murder. Second-degree murder typically includes cases where the perpetrator has a general intent to cause harm or kill but lacks the premeditated intent required for first-degree murder. When someone believes they are justified based on unreasonable beliefs, it indicates a lack of rational judgment about the situation, which ties directly into the characteristic of second-degree murder involving malice aforethought without the element of planning that characterizes first-degree murder. The other classifications of homicide do not fit this scenario. Voluntary and involuntary manslaughter usually involve either a reasonable heat of passion (for voluntary manslaughter) or unintentional killing without malice (for involuntary manslaughter). First-degree murder would imply a calculated intent to kill, which is not applicable in this case, as the belief of justification stems from an unreasonable mindset rather than a premeditated plan.