Legal Definitions - cold blood

COLD BLOOD

Cold blood refers to a killer's state of mind when they commit a premeditated and intentional murder. It means that the killer acted without any emotional or impulsive influence, and instead, they planned and executed the murder in a calculated and deliberate manner.

Example 1: John carefully planned and prepared for weeks before he killed his business partner in cold blood. He had no emotional attachment to the victim and acted with complete rationality.

Example 2: The murderer shot the victim in cold blood, without any provocation or reason. The act was premeditated and carried out with a calm and calculated demeanor.

The examples illustrate the definition of cold blood by showing how the killer acted with complete rationality and without any emotional influence. In both cases, the murders were premeditated and carried out in a calm and calculated manner, indicating that the killers had planned and thought through their actions beforehand. This term is often used in contrast to "heat of passion," which refers to a murder committed in the heat of the moment, without any premeditation or planning.