Attempted murder

[blueeyes]

People keep giving me odd looks for asking this but no one's ever been able to explain!
I've always been under the impression that punishments for attempted murder are lighter than those for murder. Does anyone know the logic behind this, if it is actually the case?!

[NORMANTHEDOG]

i believe that att murder and murder can both carry a life sentence,i expect the judge will be along later to clarify.

[tali122]

attempted murder sentences are usually the same or even MORE than murder - not less.(hence the odd looks you may have been getting)It is essentially the guilty mind, malice aforethought - mens rea (crucial) combined with actus rea (the act)

[electricblue]

You'll get off so much lighter if you drink/drive/kill!!

[Grunty]

The difference is between a fixed sentence and a maximum sentence.

For murder, the life sentence is fixed by law and the court cannot impose anything else. (I am assuming that the accused is an adult).

For other serious crimes, e.g. manslaughter, attempted murder, rape, armed robbery and arson, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment. This means that if the court considers it appropriate, it can (and usually does) impose a lesser sentence.

[undercovers]

Grunty is correct murder carries a mandatory life sentence - whereas the maximum possible for attempt it life leaving the judge free to give the most appropriate sentence...

[dumb]

Though most attempted muder charges are actually dropped down to a less series one (usually serious assault with permanent disfigurement or something) because to prove attempted murder they have to prove that there was the intention to kill.

And as we all know "life" rarely means life, which I've always found a bit odd.

[blueeyes]

Thankyou for answers! I've always felt the punishment should be for intent rather than outcome and things make a bit more sense to me now!

Maybe the 'life' sentance thing's an old phrase - since people didn't use to live as long as now!

Okay, this is probably not true.

Anyway! Thanks again for replies!