Issue 190, July 29, 2024

12-Year-Old Tennessee Girl Charged with Murder for Suffocating 8-Year-Old Cousin, Black Woman Sonya Massey Shot and Killed by Deputy in Springfield Home

🕵️Trivia Question

What distinguishes first-degree murder from other types of homicide in the United States?
Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

What’s Happening Now

🚸 Safety Tip of the Day: Trust Your Instincts

If you feel uneasy or threatened by someone’s behavior, trust your instincts and take action. Remove yourself from the situation and seek help from friends, family, or authorities.

Cold Case Highlights

🔍Trivia Answer
Premeditation and intent.

First-degree murder in the United States is characterized by the deliberate and premeditated intent to kill. This means the perpetrator planned the murder ahead of time and carried it out with the intention of causing the victim's death. This distinguishes it from second-degree murder, which lacks premeditation, and from manslaughter, which involves a killing without prior intent, often due to recklessness or in the heat of passion.