Mayhem

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Background

The word "mayhem" is the older form of the word "maim."[1] Under common law, mayhem is the crime of maliciously injuring a person's body, especially to impair or destroy the victim's capacity for self-defense.[2] This is usually treated as part of aggravated battery under modern-day statutes. Mayhem has three elements: 1) a malicious and 2) unlawful act of physical force 3 which deprives a person of a member of his/her body or disables, disfigures, or renders it useless, or cuts or disables the tongue, or puts out an eye, or slits the nose, ear, or lip.[3] Mayhem may also refer to violent destruction or disruption.

Model Penal Code

  1. Maria Del Rio, J.D., Mayhem and Related Offenses, American Jurisprudence, 2nd edition (2010)
  2. Black's Law Dictionary, 9th edition (2009)
  3. Maria Del Rio, J.D., Mayhem and Related Offenses, American Jurisprudence, 2nd edition (2010)