论美国刑法中谋杀罪的几个理论问题

Study on Several Theoretical Questions of the Crime of Muder in American

美国刑法中的谋杀罪是一个含义丰富的概念,而不是简单的"故意杀人"。谋杀罪的理论不是单纯的刑法理论,它吸收了很多学科的理论知识,尤其是医学方面的知识。为了对谋杀罪进行正确的定罪量刑,必须掌握谋杀罪理论中的几个重要问题:刑法中的因果关系问题,尤其是存在第三人或被害人的介入因素时;人的生命从何开始,即胎儿是否可以作为"人"受到法律的同等保护,胎儿是否可以作为谋杀罪的对象;如何准确认定行为人的杀人行为是基于恶意的预谋,以衡量其刑事责任。

The Crime of Murder in American Criminal Law is far more complicated than“just killing otherpeople”.It is not a pure criminal concept.In fact,it has been affected by many subjects,especially by medicalscience.There are several important questions to be considered to guarantee proper infliction of punishment:Causation in criminal law,especially when a third person or the victim has some extent of influence;What isdeath,the standard of death of brain is challenged by medical science;Whether fetuses should be treated thesame as human beings;How to understand murder with malice aforethought in order to punish properly.