Felony Murder Doctrine Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Felony Murder Doctrine.

Felony Murder Doctrine (Noun)

A rule in criminal law that deems a death that is caused during the commission, or attempted commission, of a felony as first degree murder. This doctrine applies to all participants involved in the felony, regardless of their intended level of participation or intention to cause harm. Regardless of if they directly caused the death or not, all accomplices can be found guilty of murder under this doctrine. For instance, if during a robbery someone is killed, even the participants who had no direct role in the killing can be charged and found guilty of murder.