mens rea
compound.compound. the mental state of a person when they commit a crime. It means the person intended to do something wrong or knew their actions were illegal.
compound. the intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime, as opposed to the action or conduct of the accused. It is a fundamental principle of criminal law that an act does not make a person guilty unless their mind is also guilty.
The lawyer argued that his client lacked the mens rea to commit murder.
To secure a conviction for theft, the prosecution must prove the defendant had the mens rea to permanently deprive the owner of their property.
The legal debate centered on whether the defendant's extreme negligence was sufficient to establish mens rea in the absence of specific intent.
strictly a legal term used in criminal law contexts; it is an uncountable noun phrase.
contrast with 'actus reus' (the physical act of the crime) to help students understand the two components required for criminal liability in common law systems.