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Why was Charles Manson convicted of murder?

Says that encouraging murder means being an accessory for murder.

Say I got my stuff stolen. Say I hate all thieves and think they're vermin.

One day, I read something on the web. A thieve got shot by home owners.

I cheered. Finally good news. Actually, I saw many such comments.

Why am I being grateful? Because I hope more of those happen.

I am not saying I do. But say I do. And say because of what I did, numbers of robbers/burglars/thieves that die during burglary increase a lot. And say, some of those robbers/burglars/thieves shot are "unjustified".

Will I be guilty of murder?

user4234
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Not in the United States. The general rule for accomplice liability in these types of cases is that you have to encourage the principal with the specific intent that he commit the crime.

As you describe it here, you are not cheering to encourage the commission of another crime -- not any specific crime, at least; rather, you are just cheering in reaction to a crime that has already been completed. The fact that others may have felt encouraged is not your problem, thanks to First Amendment protection.

bdb484
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  • Interesting. If I regularly cheers? For example, say I made a web site honoring those who slaughtered thieves? That gives incentives for people to kill thieves. – user4234 Dec 26 '18 at 21:21
  • Nope -- that's not a real incentive, at least as far as the law is concerned. You would have to encourage the killing of a specific thief. – bdb484 Dec 27 '18 at 18:55