Guilty of attempted murder
April and Troy have been unhappily married for years. April wanted a divorce, but Troy feared April would get too much of his money and the marital home. He decided it was best to kill her. He decided to poison her. He went to CVS and inquired of the pharmacist about needing a sleep aid for his insomnia. The pharmacist gave him a bottle of sleeping pills. Troy believed if he gave April several pills in her tea, she would die peacefully in her sleep. She drank the tea, but nothing happened but for a little drowsiness. Troy is charged with attempted murder. Will Troy be found guilty of attempted murder? Discuss why or why not. Use legal reasoning to support your response.
Whether or not Troy will be found guilty of attempted murder will depend on the specific facts of the case and the laws of the jurisdiction in which he is charged. However, based on the information provided, it is likely that Troy could be found guilty of attempted murder.
The elements of attempted murder in most jurisdictions include:
- An intent to kill
- A plan or design to kill
- An overt act in furtherance of the plan or design
- A failure to carry out the plan or design only by reason of circumstances beyond the person's control