562.016. Culpable mental state. - Missouri Statutes

Culpable mental state.

562.016. 1. Except as provided in section 562.026, a personis not guilty of an offense unless he acts with a culpable mentalstate, that is, unless he acts purposely or knowingly orrecklessly or with criminal negligence, as the statute definingthe offense may require with respect to the conduct, the resultthereof or the attendant circumstances which constitute thematerial elements of the crime.

2. A person "acts purposely", or with purpose, with respectto his conduct or to a result thereof when it is his consciousobject to engage in that conduct or to cause that result.

3. A person "acts knowingly", or with knowledge,

(1) With respect to his conduct or to attendantcircumstances when he is aware of the nature of his conduct orthat those circumstances exist; or

(2) With respect to a result of his conduct when he is awarethat his conduct is practically certain to cause that result.

4. A person "acts recklessly" or is reckless when heconsciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk thatcircumstances exist or that a result will follow, and suchdisregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of carewhich a reasonable person would exercise in the situation.

5. A person "acts with criminal negligence" or is criminallynegligent when he fails to be aware of a substantial andunjustifiable risk that circumstances exist or a result willfollow, and such failure constitutes a gross deviation from thestandard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in thesituation.

(L. 1977 S.B. 60)

Effective 1-1-79