What if a Second Person Cause a First Person's Act Into an Act of Murder?
Warning: This sensitive topic speaks about the prohibition of murder and injury
Divine Code for November 24, 2022
Today: Pages 312-313
Part 1:4
If a second person transforms a first person's act into an act of murder, the second person is liable. For example, if a first person pushed someone into a pit and there was initially a ladder there that could have been used to climb out, and a second person threw a spear at someone who was holding a shield, and a second person removed the ladder with intent to kill; or likewise, if a first person threw a spear at someone who was holding a shield, and a second person pulled away the shield, then if the victim died from starvation in the pit or by the spear, then the second person is considered to be the murderer and is liable to capital punishment in a court of law, while the first person is exempt from capital punishment.
This applies even if the victim put himself into the situation (e.g., he descended into a pit of his own accord when the ladder was there, or if someone put himself at risk in some other hazardous situation while taking appropriate measures for safety), and the murderer took away his victim's means of saving himself (e.g., by removing the ladder from the pit), thus putting the victim in a situation of certain death. However, if a first person lethally shoots and thereby mortally wounds a victim, and there is a doctor available who could heal the victim, but a second person prevents the doctor from doing so, only the shooter is liable to be punished by a court for murder, and not the second person. The act of murder was only done by the shooter who directly caused the death, and the second person only prevented the victim from being saved.
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Brought By Sarah Bakker
Sarah Bakker is a blog writer and illustrator for the Noahide Academy. After a difficult time, she found Judaism. She has been a Noahide for many years and uses her experiences and knowledge combined with her creative talents to help others.
Sources
The Divine Code (Third Edition)
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