2022 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 53a - Penal Code
Chapter 952 - Penal Code: Offenses
Section 53a-54a. - Murder.

(a) A person is guilty of murder when, with intent to cause the death of another person, he causes the death of such person or of a third person or causes a suicide by force, duress or deception; except that in any prosecution under this subsection, it shall be an affirmative defense that the defendant committed the proscribed act or acts under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance for which there was a reasonable explanation or excuse, the reasonableness of which is to be determined from the viewpoint of a person in the defendant's situation under the circumstances as the defendant believed them to be, provided nothing contained in this subsection shall constitute a defense to a prosecution for, or preclude a conviction of, manslaughter in the first degree or any other crime.

(b) Evidence that the defendant suffered from a mental disease, mental defect or other mental abnormality is admissible, in a prosecution under subsection (a) of this section, on the question of whether the defendant acted with intent to cause the death of another person.

(c) Murder is punishable as a class A felony in accordance with subdivision (2) of section 53a-35a unless it is (1) a capital felony committed prior to April 25, 2012, by a person who was eighteen years of age or older at the time of the offense, punishable in accordance with subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of section 53a-35a, (2) murder with special circumstances committed on or after April 25, 2012, by a person who was eighteen years of age or older at the time of the offense, punishable as a class A felony in accordance with subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of section 53a-35a, or (3) murder under section 53a-54d committed by a person who was eighteen years of age or older at the time of the offense.

(P.A. 73-137, S. 2; P.A. 80-442, S. 15, 28; P.A. 83-486, S. 4; P.A. 92-260, S. 26; P.A. 12-5, S. 7; P.A. 15-84, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 80-442 amended Subsec. (c) to specify punishment in accordance with Sec. 53a-35a(2), deleting reference to death penalty imposed as provided by Sec. 53a-46a for capital felony, effective July 1, 1981; P.A. 83-486 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “acted” with “committed the proscribed act or acts”; P.A. 92-260 amended Subsec. (c) to add exception for murder under Sec. 53a-54d; P.A. 12-5 amended Subsec. (c) to replace reference to capital felony with provision re capital felony committed prior to April 25, 2012, punishable under Sec. 53a-35a(1)(A), or murder with special circumstances committed on or after April 25, 2012, punishable as a class A felony under Sec. 53a-35a(1)(B), effective April 25, 2012; P.A. 15-84 amended Subsec. (c) to designate existing provision re capital felony as Subdiv. (1), existing provision re murder with special circumstances as Subdiv. (2) and existing provision re murder under Sec. 53a-54d as Subdiv. (3) and add provisions re person 18 years of age or older at time of offense, effective October 1, 2015, and applicable to any person convicted prior to, on or after that date.

See Sec. 53a-54b re murder with special circumstances.

See Sec. 53a-54c re felony murder.

See Sec. 53a-54e re construction of statutes re capital felony committed prior to April 25, 2012.

Cited. 171 C. 241; 173 C. 414; 176 C. 508; 177 C. 1; 178 C. 450; Id., 626; 179 C. 1; Id., 431; 180 C. 141. Constitutionally permissible for a jury to find defendant indicted for murder guilty of homicide in a lesser degree where the evidence supports such a finding although the state of mind required is different. Id., 382. Cited. Id., 589; 181 C. 406; 182 C. 66; Id., 388; Id., 497; Id., 603; 185 C. 163; 186 C. 261; Id., 476; 188 C. 626; 189 C. 303; Id., 346; 190 C. 639; 191 C. 233; Id., 545; 194 C. 408; Id., 416; Id., 483; Id., 530; 195 C. 475; 196 C. 667; 197 C. 60; Id., 180; Id., 337; Id., 436; Id., 507; 198 C. 124; Id., 209; Id., 397; Id., 542; Id., 560; Id., 573; Id., 644; 199 C. 102; Id., 155; Id., 163; Id., 631; Id., 718; 200 C. 553; 201 C. 174; Id., 190; Id., 276; Id., 368; Id., 605; 202 C. 18; Id., 75; Id., 86; Id., 316; 203 C. 212; Id., 641; 204 C. 240; 205 C. 279; Id., 298; Id., 507; Id., 616; 206 C. 182; Id., 213; Id., 323; Id., 346; Id., 512; Id., 678; 207 C. 374; Id., 646; 208 C. 125; 209 C. 225; Id., 290; Id., 622; 210 C. 78; Id., 304; Id., 519; Id., 631; Id., 652; 211 C. 215; Id., 289; Id., 441; 212 C. 325; Id., 387; Id., 612; 213 C. 97; Id., 243; Id., 388; Id., 405; Id., 579; Id., 593; Id., 708; 214 C. 57; Id., 77; Id., 118; Id., 454; Id., 476; Id., 493; Id., 616; 215 C. 231; Id., 277; Id., 570; Id., 646; Id., 695; Id., 739; 216 C. 139; Id., 188; Id., 282; Id., 301; Id., 585; Id., 699; 218 C. 349; Id., 486; Id., 714; 219 C. 16; Id., 596; Id., 721; 220 C. 169; Id., 270; Id., 285; Id., 602; Id., 765; 221 C. 58; Id., 93; Id., 109; 222 C. 506; 223 C. 273; Id., 674; 224 C. 63; Id., 168; Id., 372; 225 C. 55; Id., 114; Id., 524; Id., 609; 226 C. 20; Id., 237; Id., 497; 227 C. 231; Id., 301; Id., 417; Id., 456; Id., 566; 228 C. 62; Id., 118; Id., 281; Id., 412; 229 C. 125; Id., 193; Id., 328; Id., 691; 231 C. 43; Id., 115; Id., 235; 233 C. 44; Id., 215; 234 C. 139; Id., 324; Id., 381; Id., 683; 235 C. 206; Id., 274; Id., 397; Id., 413; Id., 473; 236 C. 189. Affirmative defense of extreme emotional disturbance cited; failure of trial court to instruct jury on extreme emotional disturbance was error; judgment of Appellate Court affirming judgment of trial court in 36 CA 448 reversed, Id., 342. Cited. Id., 514; 237 C. 58; Id., 339; Id., 364; Id., 518; Id., 694. Under appropriate circumstances, defendant can simultaneously intend to cause death of, and serious physical injury to, the same person; judgment of Appellate Court in 39 CA 18 reversed. Id., 748. Cited. 238 C. 389; Id., 588; 239 C. 56; Id., 481; 240 C. 210; Id., 727; Id., 743; 241 C. 322; Id., 502; Id., 702; 242 C. 605; Id., 666; 247 C. 318. Evidence that defendant merely solicited a murder by mailing a coded letter from the correctional facility where he was incarcerated, without any accompanying or following act of perpetration, was insufficient to support a conviction for attempted murder. 262 C. 295. Death penalty unconstitutional under Art. I, Secs. 8 and 9 of Connecticut Constitution. 318 C. 1. While manslaughter in the first degree under Sec. 53a-55 is a lesser included offense of murder under this section, the states of minds required by the two offenses are mutually exclusive; a jury finding guilty verdicts on both offenses are inconsistent verdicts and both verdicts must be vacated. 325 C. 236.

Cited. 7 CA 180; Id., 223; Id., 470; 10 CA 357; 12 CA 32; Id., 217; 17 CA 502; judgment reversed, see 213 C. 579; Id., 602; 19 CA 111; judgment reversed, see 215 C. 538; Id., 440; Id., 609; Id., 674; 22 CA 669; 24 CA 115; Id., 244; Id., 692; 25 CA 104; Id., 433; Id., 456; 26 CA 259; 27 CA 1; Id., 520; 28 CA 416; Id., 548; Id., 425; Id., 608; Id., 771; 29 CA 386; Id., 452; Id., 499; 30 CA 677; 32 CA 170; 33 CA 90; Id., 763; 34 CA 103; Id., 317; 35 CA 438; Id., 541; Id., 762; 36 CA 250; Id., 345; Id., 364; Id., 448; judgment reversed, see 236 C. 342; Id., 473; Id., 506; Id., 516; Id., 556; 37 CA 749; 38 CA 371; Id., 434; 39 CA 18; judgment reversed, see 237 C. 748; Id., 242; Id., 224; Id., 632; 40 CA 151; Id., 318; Id., 387; 41 CA 604; Id., 809; 42 CA 348; Id., 555; 43 CA 61; Id., 549; 44 CA 6; Id., 70; Id., 231; Id., 476; Id., 790; 45 CA 148; Id., 207; Id., 261; Id., 584; 46 CA 216; Id., 285; Id., 578; Id., 640; Id., 684; Id., 734. Evidence was sufficient beyond a reasonable doubt to conclude that defendant intended to cause victim's death. 55 CA 469. It is possible to commit attempted murder without creating risk of any physical injury to another person. 56 CA 592. Failure of trial court to inform defendant of intent requirement under statute not plain error. 65 CA 234. Trial court did not improperly exclude proffered evidence re defendant's claim of intoxication at time of murder. 91 CA 169. To establish crime of murder, state must prove beyond reasonable doubt that defendant, with intent to cause death of another, caused the death of such person or a third person; specific intent to kill is an essential element of crime of murder; to act intentionally, defendant must have had the conscious objective to cause the death of the victim. 129 CA 1. Sentences for murder and felony murder were ancillary to capital felony conviction, thus the convictions for murder and felony murder must be vacated. 145 CA 494; judgment affirmed, see 317 C. 741. Conviction of murder under this section and felony murder under Sec. 53a-54c for same offense violated prohibition against double jeopardy. 153 CA 691.

Cited. 40 CS 38; Id., 498; 42 CS 10; Id., 426; 43 CS 367.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 172 C. 65. “Extreme emotional disturbance” guidelines. 177 C. 1. Cited. Id., 487; 180 C. 171; 181 C. 268; Id., 284; 182 C. 142; Id., 585; part of ruling in 182 C. 585, in which court had ruled that defendant was entitled on remand to a direction of acquittal with respect to a count improperly added to other charges of which defendant had had proper notice, overruled, see 224 C. 1; 184 C. 121; 186 C. 414; Id., 574; 187 C. 6; 190 C. 219; 191 C. 27; 192 C. 700; 193 C. 474; Id., 646; 194 C. 376; Id., 392; 195 C. 166; Id., 232; Id., 651; 196 C. 557; 197 C. 106; Id., 595; 198 C. 53; Id., 77; 200 C. 224; Id., 607; Id., 642; Id., 743. Charge on this defense was inadequate under the circumstances. 201 C. 174. Cited. Id., 244; Id., 534; 202 C. 259; Id., 429; 204 C. 207; Id., 259; 205 C. 370; Id., 578; Id., 723; 206 C. 229; Id., 300; Id., 391; 208 C. 455; 209 C. 596; 210 C. 481; Id., 619; 212 C. 258; Id., 351; Id., 593; 214 C. 122; Id., 146; Id., 161; Id., 344; Id., 540; 216 C. 492; 217 C. 243. Interpretation of section not to require reasonableness of defendant's extreme emotional disturbance to be determined solely from his subjective viewpoint. Id., 648. Cited. 218 C. 747; Id., 766; 219 C. 234; Id., 295; 220 C. 385; Id., 408; 221 C. 128; Id., 430; 222 C. 1; Id., 718; 223 C. 41; Id., 127; Id., 207; Id., 384; Id., 411; Id., 535; Id., 635; 224 C. 196; Id., 325; 227 C. 389; Id., 448; 228 C. 384; 230 C. 183; 232 C. 537; 233 C. 1; Id., 106; Id., 174; Id., 517; Id., 813; 236 C. 388; 238 C. 253; Id., 313; Id., 395; 241 C. 1; Id., 665; 242 C. 409; Id., 485; 243 C. 205. Term “death” as used in Penal Code includes irreversible cessation of functioning of brain. 244 C. 761. Section incorporates doctrine of transferred intent and holds both a principal and an accomplice liable for death of an unintended victim. 253 C. 354. Re jury charge on extreme emotional disturbance, it was proper for trial court to refuse to instruct jury to consider defendant's unique mental and emotional characteristics and impact of those characteristics on defendant since statute incorporates a standard that is objective as to its overview, but subjective as to defendant's belief. 261 C. 336. Defendant was entitled to a jury instruction on the lesser included offense of manslaughter as set forth in Sec. 53a-55(a)(1). 262 C. 453. Statute specifically provides for intent to be transferred from the target of defendant's conduct to an unintended victim. 273 C. 393. The “born alive” rule, which prescribes that only one who has been born alive can be the victim of a homicide, was the common law of this state when Penal Code was adopted and has not been abrogated by the legislature, and therefore trial court properly determined that an infant who is born alive and who subsequently dies of injuries sustained in utero is a “person” within meaning of homicide statutes; nothing in section requires a temporal nexus between the victim's status as a person and the conduct that brings about the person's death; transferred intent provisions are equally applicable to a fetus born alive as they are to any other person. 296 C. 622.

Cited. 7 CA 367; Id., 457; 8 CA 496; Id., 147; judgment reversed, see 206 C. 278; Id., 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370; 10 CA 697; 11 CA 80; Id., 628; 20 CA 27; 21 CA 801; 22 CA 199; Id., 507; Id., 521; 23 CA 692; 24 CA 624; 26 CA 242; 27 CA 73; Id., 403; Id., 643; 28 CA 231; Id., 469; 29 CA 573; 30 CA 406; judgment reversed, see 228 C. 335; 31 CA 385; 32 CA 438; Id., 687; Id., 759; 33 CA 122; Id., 782; 34 CA 58; judgment reversed, see 232 C. 537; Id., 96; judgment reversed, see 232 C. 537; Id., 368, see also 233 C. 517; 35 CA 138; Id., 374; judgment reversed, see 235 C. 413; Id., 541; 36 CA 336; Id., 417; Id., 805; Id., 831; 37 CA 252; judgment reversed, see 236 C. 388; Id., 404; Id., 574; 40 CA 47; Id., 60; Id., 374; Id., 470; 41 CA 361; Id., 495; Id., 515; 43 CA 252; Id., 830; 44 CA 198; Id., 338; 45 CA 297; 46 CA 600. Statute sets forth a standard that is objective in its overview, but subjective as to defendant's belief. 48 CA 784. Trial court's instruction re extreme emotional disturbance defense was proper. 55 CA 469. Cited. 57 CA 734. Subsec. permits conviction of manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm under Sec. 53a-55a regardless of extreme emotional disturbance defense. 86 CA 784. One who uses deadly weapon upon a vital part of another will be deemed to have intended the probable result of that act, and from such circumstance a proper inference may be drawn in some cases that there was an intent to kill. 95 CA 263. Murder is a specific intent crime and although court's instruction improperly referred to general intent to engage in proscribed conduct, the erroneous instruction was not harmful beyond a reasonable doubt and defendant was not deprived of fair trial because court also properly instructed jury that it had to find defendant intended to cause victim's death. 99 CA 230. A homicide influenced by an extreme emotional disturbance is not one which is necessarily committed in hot blood stage, but rather one that was brought about by a significant mental trauma that caused defendant to brood for long period of time and then react violently, seemingly without provocation. 104 CA 780.

Subsec. must be read without the word “affirmative”; the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt all of the elements of the offense charged without imposing any burden on defendant. 33 CS 28. Unborn not included in definition of “person”. 40 CS 498. Cited re ineffective counsel claim. 46 CS 344.

Subsec. (b):

Evidence of mental capacity admissible when defendant is charged with commission of crime under which state must prove defendant acted recklessly. 195 C. 232.

Subsec. (c):

Cited. 180 C. 171; 181 C. 151; 193 C. 144; Id., 350; 194 C. 376; Id., 392; 196 C. 655; 200 C. 721; 201 C. 244; Id., 395; 205 C. 638; 214 C. 378.

Cited. 41 CA 530.