Which set of offenses is represented by the BRAKES acronym for felon murder crimes?

Which set of offenses is represented by the BRAKES acronym for felon murder crimes?

• A. Burglary, Robbery, Assault, Kidnapping, Escape, Sexual assault
• B. Burglary, Robbery, Arson, Kidnapping, Escape, Sexual assault
• C. Burglary, Robbery, Arson, Kidnapping, Escape, Extortion
• D. Burglary, Robbery, Arson, Kidnapping, Escape, Rape

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is the felony-murder rule and the mnemonic used to remember which felonies qualify when a death occurs during their commission. BRAKES names the offenses that can trigger murder liability if a death happens in the course of committing them: Burglary, Robbery, Arson, Kidnapping, Escape, and Sexual assault. The option that matches this exact set is correct because it includes Arson and Sexual assault (the two terms that define the BRAKES list). Options that swap in Assault instead of Arson, or add Extortion, or use Rape instead of Sexual assault don’t align with the standard BRAKES mnemonic. In practice, if a killing occurs during the commission of any of these listed felonies, the death can support a felony-murder charge.

The main idea here is the felony-murder rule and the mnemonic used to remember which felonies qualify when a death occurs during their commission. BRAKES names the offenses that can trigger murder liability if a death happens in the course of committing them: Burglary, Robbery, Arson, Kidnapping, Escape, and Sexual assault. The option that matches this exact set is correct because it includes Arson and Sexual assault (the two terms that define the BRAKES list). Options that swap in Assault instead of Arson, or add Extortion, or use Rape instead of Sexual assault don’t align with the standard BRAKES mnemonic. In practice, if a killing occurs during the commission of any of these listed felonies, the death can support a felony-murder charge.