Is cannibalism while stranded in life boat ok? No defense. It's murder(en.wikipedia.org)
en.wikipedia.org
Is cannibalism while stranded in life boat ok? No defense. It's murder
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Dudley_and_Stephens
6 comments
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Even if the crime carries an automatic death sentence, it's still worth the risk.
This is an 1884 case law.
A defendant could also assert insanity or diminished mental capacity as defenses. Today necessity can be a defense to murder in some jurisdictions and some facts. So it is not precluded per se as this decision says. I have no idea whether international law could be controlling here or what that international law is.
Of course all of this is semi-moot because US criminal law is dominated by statute, not common law.