Legal Definitions - murdrum

Definition: Murdrum is a term from Law Latin that has three meanings:

1. The secret killing of someone.
2. A fine against the tithing where the secret and unsolved homicide took place.
3. Murder with malice aforethought.

The term "murdrum" comes from medieval times and is used to indicate the mental element necessary in the felony of murder.

Examples:

• If someone kills another person secretly and no one knows who did it, the tithing where the murder took place would have to pay a fine. This fine is called a murdrum fine.
• If someone kills another person with the intention to kill or to cause serious harm, it is considered murder with malice aforethought.

The examples illustrate the different meanings of the term "murdrum." The first example shows how the term was used in medieval times to collect fines for unsolved homicides. The second example shows how the term is used in modern times to describe a specific type of murder with a premeditated intention to kill or cause harm.