New Jersey V. Heart Case

Imagine a person creating a plan of killing an innocent victim without the victim even knowing. One month ago, Heart was caught extracting the life of an innocuous elderly man because he vexed one of the man’s unique characteristics. Soon after Heart, the victim’s caretaker, confessed and was apprehended by the police, he made a testimony that explained his despicable plan, and how he accomplished his dreadful goal. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, in the case The State of New Jersey v. Heart, there is an extensive amount of evidence such as how the crime was premeditated, how he committed it deliberately, and how he executed the crime with malice that proves Heart guilty of first degree murder. To commence this argument, this crime was unquestionably …show more content…
Heart committed the crime deliberately, and in his testimony, he explained all of the procedures he performed to get what he wanted. “To act with a particular intent, which is derived from a careful consideration of factors that influence the choice to be made” (“Deliberate”). The victim's eye had such an effect on the defendant, that he purposely and willingly shone a light on the eye. Mr. Heart killed the victim without thinking twice about what he was doing once he saw what he truly vexed, which was that vulture eye. Additionally, he knowingly dismembered the corpse, so there would be no evidence of the killing of the old man. The defendant’s testimony states, “And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and imquiring how he has passed the night” (Poe 1-2). Mr. Heart intentionally went into the old man’s chamber every morning with a positive attitude, and he would immediately make conversation. He made sure that the victim never suspected a thing, so he did not have any problems finishing his scheme. “A defendant deliberates by considering the act and its consequences (but not necessarily the punishment), and deciding to follow through with it” (Segars). Within the time frame of the elderly man’s awakening and the killing, the defendant presents in his testimony that he just stood still without moving a bone. He says that he tried …show more content…
“To kill with malice aforethought means to kill either deliberately and intentionally or recklessly with extreme disregard for human life” (“First Degree Murder Law and Legal Definition”). The defendant confesses in his testimony that he had no desire for the old man’s gold, and he personally had no problem with the victim’s personality. All he had a problem with was the old man’s eye that drove him crazy, and it appeared to be a threat to him. “I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture - a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees - very gradually - I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever” (Poe 1). The vulture eye intimidated the defendant so much, it controlled him, and he could not control himself to stay in check. Mr. Heart pushed away every manner and civil attitude because he did not like the way the eye looked at him. “‘Malice’ in a criminal law setting refers to 1) an intent to kill, 2) an intent to inflict serious bodily harm, or 3) a ‘depraved heart,’...” (“Unit 14: Introduction to Homicide”). The way the defendant feels around the eye pushes him to cause harm to the victim without even an attempt to control himself. He put the rest of his life and future on the line just so he could get exactly what he wanted. To put simply, since Mr.