Murder in French law

In the French penal code, murder is defined by the intentional killing of another person. Murder is punishable by[1] a maximum of 30 years of criminal imprisonment (no more than 20 years if the defendant is not sentenced to 30 years).[2][3] Assassination (murder with premeditation or after lying in wait for the victim)[4] and murder in some special cases in accordance with Article 221-4[5] (including if the victim is a child under 15, against vulnerable people due to age, health etc, in the context of domestic violence, against some professionals in connection with their duty, in a gang etc) )[6] are punished by a jail term up to life imprisonment (no more than 30 years if the defendant is not sentenced to life).[7][8] The same punishment is given to murder committed in connection to other criminal offenses according to Article 221-2.[9][10][11]

Except for recidivists,[12] the minimum sentence in criminal prosecutions is one or two years' imprisonment, which may be suspended if the sentence is under 5 years.[13] Acts of violence causing an unintended death (Article 222-7 of the Penal Code -Les violences ayant entraîné la mort sans intention de la donner)[14][15][16][17] are punished by 15 years' imprisonment, or 20 years if aggravating circumstances exist[18] (which are the same as those that would make a murderer eligible for life in prison).[19][20][21]

See also

• French criminal law
• List of murder laws by country

References

1. "Article 132-18". Legifrance. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
2. "Article 221-1 - Code pénal - Légifrance". www.legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
3. Corioland, Sophie (2019-01-08). Droit pénal général (in French). Editions Ellipses. ISBN 978-2-340-03229-3.
4. "Article 221-2". Legifrance. Archived from the original on 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
5. "Chapitre Ier : Des atteintes à la vie de la personne (Articles 221-1 à 221-11-1) - Légifrance".
6. "Article 221-3". Legifrance. Archived from the original on 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
7. Pradel, Jean (2016-09-14). Droit pénal comparé. 4e éd (in French). Editis - Interforum. ISBN 978-2-247-15085-4.
8. Government, Frrench (2017-06-26). Criminal Law of France. Independently Published. ISBN 978-1-5215-9028-7.
9. "Section 1 : Des atteintes volontaires à la vie (Articles 221-1 à 221-5-5) - Légifrance".
10. McKillop, Bron (1997). Anatomy of a French Murder Case. Hawkins Press. ISBN 978-1-876067-06-9.
11. Hodgson, Jacqueline (2005-11-08). French Criminal Justice: A Comparative Account of the Investigation and Prosecution of Crime in France. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84731-069-9.
12. The French Parliament. "Loi n° 2007-1198 du 10 août 2007 renforçant la lutte contre la récidive des majeurs et des mineurs". French Criminal Law (in French). Legifrance. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
13. The French Parliament. "Paragraph 1 - Conditions for the granting of ordinary suspension". French Criminal Law. Legifrance. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
14. "Article 222-7 - Code pénal - Légifrance". www.legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
15. Bouloc, Bernard (2023-10-12). Droit pénal général 28ed (in French). Groupe Lefebvre Dalloz. ISBN 978-2-247-22940-6.
16. Pin, Xavier (2023-10-12). Droit pénal général 2024 15ed (in French). Groupe Lefebvre Dalloz. ISBN 978-2-247-22928-4.
17. "La Praeterintention" (PDF). Penale.it. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
18. "Article 222-8 - Code pénal - Légifrance". www.legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
19. Elliott, Catherine (2001-05-01). French Criminal Law. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-99314-6.
20. Maréchal, Jean-Yves (2003). Essai sur le résultat dans la théorie de l'infraction pénale (in French). L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-7475-4549-5.
21. Tsikarishvili, Kakha (2017-12-31). "Particularities of Subjective Element of the Crime in French Criminal Law". Journal of Law (2). ISSN 2720-782X.