Slaughter of the Innocents: Justification, Excuse, and the Principle of Double Effect

Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law Vol 18:2, Fall 2013

87 Pages Posted: 17 May 2014 Last revised: 30 Apr 2021

See all articles by Edward C. Lyons

Edward C. Lyons

Oklahoma City University School of Law

Date Written: January 30, 2013

Abstract

This article proposes the principle of double effect as the foundation for a cogent alternative to the Model Penal Code’s controversial defenses to justified and excused homicide of the innocent. Proponents of the principle of double effect recognize that persons may sometimes find themselves burdened with unavoidable choices where all possible outcomes involve harmful and tragic consequences for themselves or others. In such circumstances, its proponents assert that at times it is permissible to cause foreseeable, but unintentional, taking of innocent human life. Double effect thus acknowledges, in a way that traditional legal theory does not, that sometimes the tragic “taking of innocent life” may be justified. At the same time, however, the principle of double effect conforms to the traditional view in asserting that any intentional, i.e., purposeful, taking of innocent life, despite its utilitarian benefit, can never be justified and no law or defense should provide otherwise.Part I of this article surveys important historical and legal precedents against the killing of innocents, especially as considered in the seminal lifeboat cases Regina v. Dudley and Stephens and United States v. Holmes; Part II reviews and critiques the Model Penal Code’s account of justified and excused killing s of innocents; and, Part III articulates and defends a limited “double effect” legal defense to the killing of innocents.

Keywords: Criminal law, Excuse, Duress, Justification, Model Penal Code, Killing of the innocent, the Principle of Double Effect, Trolley Problem

Suggested Citation

Lyons, Edward C., Slaughter of the Innocents: Justification, Excuse, and the Principle of Double Effect (January 30, 2013). Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law Vol 18:2, Fall 2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2435639

Edward C. Lyons (Contact Author)

Oklahoma City University School of Law ( email )

800 N. Harvey Avenue #422
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
United States
7344767005 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://law.okcu.edu/people/edward-c-lyons/

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
184
Abstract Views
1,332
Rank
296,078
PlumX Metrics