For a person to be guilty of a crime, their mind has to be in on it — they have to have meant to do something wrong, known what they were doing, taken a reckless risk, or been seriously careless. "Purposely" means a person wanted that result. "Knowingly" means a person knew what they were doing or knew it would happen. "Recklessly" means a person knew there was a big risk and ignored it anyway. "Criminal negligence" means a person didn't even notice a big risk, but a normal person would have.
562.016. . — 1. Except as provided in section 562.026, a person is not guilty of an unless he or she acts with a culpable mental state, that is, unless he or she acts or or or with , as the defining the offense may require with respect to the conduct, the result thereof or the which constitute the of the crime.
2. A person "acts purposely", or with purpose, with respect to his or her conduct or to a result thereof when it is his or her conscious object to engage in that conduct or to cause that result.
3. A person "acts knowingly", or with knowledge:
(1) With respect to his or her conduct or to attendant circumstances when he or she is aware of the nature of his or her conduct or that those circumstances exist; or
(2) With respect to a result of his or her conduct when he or she is aware that his or her conduct is practically certain to cause that result.
4. A person "acts recklessly" or is when he or she consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that circumstances exist or that a result follow, and such disregard constitutes a from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation.
5. A person "acts with criminal negligence" or is when he or she fails to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that circumstances exist or a result will follow, and such failure constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation.
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Red section numbers link to that law.
Source & history notes
(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Related Missouri laws
Conspiracy, offense of
RSMo 562.014
Attempt
RSMo 562.012
Voluntary act
RSMo 562.011
Culpable mental state, application
RSMo 562.021
Culpable mental state, when not required
RSMo 562.026
Ignorance and mistake
RSMo 562.031
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.