562.016. Culpable mental state.
To be guilty of a crime, you usually must mean to do it or act carelessly.
Most crimes require a certain state of mind and intent—like doing something on purpose, knowing what you’re doing, being reckless, or being extremely careless.
1. Unless another law says otherwise, a person isn’t guilty of a crime unless they acted purposely, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence—as required by the law for that crime.
2. A person acts purposely when their goal is to do something or cause a specific result.
3. A person acts knowingly when:
- They are aware of what they’re doing or aware of the situation around them; or
- They know their actions will almost certainly cause a specific result.
4. A person acts recklessly when they ignore a big and obvious risk, and that choice is very different from how a reasonable person would act.
5. A person acts with criminal negligence when they fail to notice a big and obvious risk, and that failure is a major mistake compared to what a reasonable person would do.
Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Missouri criminal defense lawyer.
