Arizona Revised Statutes And The Texas Penal Code

In this statutory analysis, I have chosen Arizona and Texas. I chose Arizona because it is my home and Texas because I have family and friends who reside there. I will be analyzing the statutes for each state to determine the similarities and differences between the two states while determining the actus reus, the mens rea, the causation, and determining the attendant circumstance if present. For my analysis, I researched both Arizona Revised Statutes and the Texas Penal Code .

Murder in Arizona is defined under the Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S) 13-1105. The actus reus element needed to prove murder in the first degree is that the defendant killed a person. The mens rea element is that the defendant knowingly or intended to cause another

The actus reus element that is needed to prove murder under this statute is that the defendant killed the victim. The mens rea element that is needed to prove murder is that the defendant “intentionally or knowingly causes the death of an individual, intends to cause serious bodily injury and commits an act clearly dangerous to human life.” (). The causation element is the combination of the elements above caused the death of the victim where the defendant would be convicted of murder if all these elements were present. Voluntary Manslaughter in Arizona is defined under section A.R.S. 13-1103 where the actus reus element to be criminally liable for this offense is that the defendant acted killed another person. The mens rea for this offense under subsection A.2 is that the defendant recklessly or negligently took the life of another. The causation for the crime is that the defendant acted because of a “sudden quarrel or heat of passion resulting from adequate provocation of the victim”. (ARS). These elements would allow the State to meet its burden of proof to convict a defendant of voluntary

The actus reus needed to prove DUI is under subsection A.1 of this statute which states that a person must have been driving or in physical control of a vehicle within two hours of drinking. However, there is not a specific mens rea associated with driving under the influence. Instead, an attendant circumstance of being intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher while driving or being in physical control are the elements needed to prove Driving Under the Influence. The causation of the crime of DUI is that the person was driving while intoxicated. Given the elements listed the State would have enough to prove the defendant guilty of DUI in