Court Opinions

State Laws

US Code

US Constitution

Murder - 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2502

Legal Research Home > Pennsylvania Statutes

     § 2502.  Murder.
        (a)  Murder of the first degree.--A criminal homicide
     constitutes murder of the first degree when it is committed by
     an intentional killing.
        (b)  Murder of the second degree.--A criminal homicide
     constitutes murder of the second degree when it is committed
     while defendant was engaged as a principal or an accomplice in
     the perpetration of a felony.
        (c)  Murder of the third degree.--All other kinds of murder
     shall be murder of the third degree. Murder of the third degree
     is a felony of the first degree.
        (d)  Definitions.--As used in this section the following
     words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
     subsection:
        "Fireman."  Includes any employee or member of a municipal
     fire department or volunteer fire company.
        "Hijacking."  Any unlawful or unauthorized seizure or
     exercise of control, by force or violence or threat of force or
     violence.
        "Intentional killing."  Killing by means of poison, or by
     lying in wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and
     premeditated killing.
        "Perpetration of a felony."  The act of the defendant in
     engaging in or being an accomplice in the commission of, or an
     attempt to commit, or flight after committing, or attempting to
     commit robbery, rape, or deviate sexual intercourse by force or
     threat of force, arson, burglary or kidnapping.
        "Principal."  A person who is the actor or perpetrator of the
     crime.
     (Mar. 26, 1974, P.L.213, No.46, eff. imd.; Apr. 28, 1978,
     P.L.84, No.39, eff. 60 days)

        Cross References.  Section 2502 is referred to in sections
     2602, 5708, 6105 of this title; section 3304 of Title 5
     (Athletics and Sports); section 5303 of Title 23 (Domestic
     Relations); sections 1515, 5551, 9802 of Title 42 (Judiciary and
     Judicial Procedure).

Last modified: November 27, 2007