Proxy murder
Encyclopedia
A proxy murder is a murder
in which the murderer does so at the behest of another, acting as his or her proxy.
The archetypal example of this would be taking a contract out on someone else, in which a hit man commits the act of murder on a specified target for the client, e.g. in exchange for money; this would be a contract killing
. Another example is a person who manipulates a lover into murdering for him or her. One reference would be Charles Manson
who sent his family and followers to commit murders, which he himself was later sentenced for.
The person instigating a proxy murder may or may not be legally guilt
y of the crime of murder; this legal distinction varies by nation (and within the United States, by state). However, all jurisdictions recognize the criminal nature of the actions taken by the instigator, and they may be charged under any of a variety of statutes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and/or accessory to murder.
Proxy murders may skew crime statistics
, as the use of a proxy may conceal the true motive
s of the person.
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
in which the murderer does so at the behest of another, acting as his or her proxy.
The archetypal example of this would be taking a contract out on someone else, in which a hit man commits the act of murder on a specified target for the client, e.g. in exchange for money; this would be a contract killing
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
. Another example is a person who manipulates a lover into murdering for him or her. One reference would be Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
who sent his family and followers to commit murders, which he himself was later sentenced for.
The person instigating a proxy murder may or may not be legally guilt
Guilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
y of the crime of murder; this legal distinction varies by nation (and within the United States, by state). However, all jurisdictions recognize the criminal nature of the actions taken by the instigator, and they may be charged under any of a variety of statutes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and/or accessory to murder.
Proxy murders may skew crime statistics
Crime statistics
Crime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....
, as the use of a proxy may conceal the true motive
Motive (law)
A motive, in law, especially criminal law, is the cause that moves people to induce a certain action. Motive, in itself, is not an element of any given crime; however, the legal system typically allows motive to be proven in order to make plausible the accused's reasons for committing a crime, at...
s of the person.