| 释义 |
actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea
[Latin: an act is not necessarily a guilty act unless the accused has the necessary state of mind required for that offence] The maxim that, generally, a person cannot be guilty of a crime unless two elements are present: the actus reus (“guilty act”) and the mens rea (“guilty mind”). Most criminal offences require (1) an actus reus (conduct “external” to the defendant’s thoughts and intentions) and (2) a mens rea (a specific state of mind on the part of the accused). |