An act that constitutes the crime of first-degree murder.
The criminal offence of murder in a form considered by law to be the most serious; the precise distinction may vary by jurisdiction but typically involves premeditation, or the choice of victim or other circumstances being regarded as especially blameworthy.
An act that constitutes the crime of second-degree murder.
The criminal offence of murder in a form defined as less serious than first-degree murder; the precise distinction may vary by jurisdiction but typically involves second-degree murder being intentional but not premeditated.