felony murder

American  

noun

1. a killing treated as a murder because, though unintended, it occurred during the commission or attempted commission of a felony, as robbery.

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Example Sentences

Felony murder allows for an incredibly broad net of culpability, yet it is law in most states.

From Slate

The Supreme Court has put some limitations on sentencing people to death for felony murder, however.

From Slate

“When you combine accomplice liability, felony murder, and the death penalty, it is a toxic stew,” professor Maria Kolar, of Oklahoma City University School of Law, told me.

From Slate

Just a few months ago, nearly the same scenario came to a head in Oklahoma, when 46-year-old Tremane Wood was scheduled to be executed after he spent decades on death row for felony murder.

From Slate

While the two-week-old warrant states that police were seeking evidence in a felony murder, the department has since said Benedict’s death was not a result of injuries suffered in the fight, based on the preliminary results of the autopsy.

From Seattle Times