Abstract
The law of homicide in the United States is codified in 52 criminal codes – the federal criminal code and the codes of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In accordance with the common law tradition, American criminal codes divide intentional homicide into murder and manslaughter. Historically, American courts viewed murder as the unlawful killing of another human being with 'malice aforethought' and manslaughter as intentional killing 'without malice aforethought'. Just like intentional homicide, reckless killing could constitute murder or manslaughter depending on the presence or lack of malice aforethought. Prior to the Model Penal Code (MPC), American penal codes did not define negligent homicide. The majority of American states followed the common law 'born-alive' rule to mark the beginning of human life. The end of life has received far less legislative and judicial attention than the beginning of life.