A killing that happens during the commission of a felony such as robbery or rape is called?

• A. Murder
• B. Negligent homicide
• C. Felony murder
• D. Manslaughter

Answer: (C)

Felony murder is the killing that happens during the commission of a felony, such as robbery or rape. The essential idea is that the death occurs as a direct result of participating in a felonious act, so the law treats it as murder even if the killer didn’t intend to kill. The felony provides the malice for murder liability because the act itself is dangerous and unlawful. This differs from ordinary murder, which requires an intent to kill (malice aforethought). It also differs from manslaughter, where the killing lacks such intent or occurs under mitigating circumstances, and from negligent homicide, which arises from careless or negligent conduct rather than the intentional commission of a felony. In short, when a death results from committing a felony, that death is charged as felony murder.