CRIM LAW: 7.5 Homicide. Felony murder rule

Welcome to Criminal Law: Introduction & Background ⚖️📘 This playlist is designed to pair directly with a law school course in Criminal Law. The videos serve as a foundational introduction and provide essential background context for the various legal doctrines, statutory interpretations, and topics covered throughout the course. Course Overview & Core Topics The videos in this series break down the essential components of criminal law, starting with an overview of the criminal justice system and the fundamental differences that separate it from civil law. You will learn the core elements of a crime—including actus reus (the criminal act), mens rea (the mental state), attendant circumstances, causation, and social harm—giving you the analytical tools to confidently dissect and interpret criminal penal statutes. Finally, the playlist explores notable crimes derived from the common law and modern statutes, as well as critical legal defenses: Substantive Crimes: Homicide (murder and manslaughter), property crimes (burglary, robbery, and larceny), and inchoate offenses (attempt, solicitation, conspiracy, and accomplice liability). Affirmative & Negative Defenses: Failure of proof, mistake of fact, voluntary intoxication, self-defense, insanity, duress, and necessity. About Professor Wes Porter Professor Wes Porter brings extensive practice-based experience to the study of criminal law. He served as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division (Fraud Section) in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii, and the U.S. Navy JAG Corps stationed at the Trial Service Office Pacific. Following years of lecturing, coaching mock trial, and teaching as an adjunct, he transitioned to full-time academia. He taught Evidence, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Trial Advocacy, earning tenure as a full professor of law and directing a prominent academic center devoted to litigation and trial skills training. Professor Porter continues to teach in law schools and train newly admitted attorneys entering the profession. Contact & Inquiries: To contact Professor Porter with questions, permission requests, or video topic suggestions, you may reach him at: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] © Copyright Wes R. Porter 2024-25. All rights reserved.