Violence from sexual relations
Carol Hoffman was murdered by her husband David Hoffman because she refused to have sexual relations
with him. While he was choking her, he began to believe he was “doing the right thing” and that to get “the evil
out of her,” he had to dismember her body. After Carol was dead, David did the dismembering in the bathtub.
Thread:
- Develop well-reasoned legal arguments in determining whether David’s mother should be considered an
accomplice in each of the following scenarios. - Depending upon your position, make sure to include within your arguments what kinds of proof might suffice
to implicate or exonerate the mother as an accomplice.
Within your argument, articulate and integrate at least 1 biblical principal AND example that supports the notion
of accomplice liability.
[A] She had experienced strained relations with Carol and told friends that she hated her. On the morning of
the murder, David told his mother that he was going to “put her to sleep” and then he would have to dispose of
the body. The mother replied that it would “be for the best.”
[B] During the actual murder, the mother was asleep. However, when the mother woke up, she was adamant
about shielding her granddaughter (the couple’s older daughter) from witnessing the dismembering should she
awake and try to use the bathroom. As a result, the mother decided to lie on a couch near the bathroom and
keep watch for the granddaughter.
[C] Moments prior to the murder, the mother heard Carol and David in a very heated argument. At one point,
David yelled out to his mother, “Haven’t you also had enough of this terrible excuse for a human being.” The
mother responded, “I’ve never liked her, David. Never.”
Textbook Readings Dressler: chapter. 14, 30. AND Weaver et al.: chapter. 4–5.
PLEASE NOTE
You must support your assertions with at least
4 scholarly citations in current Bluebook format with footnotes.
Acceptable sources include the
• Casebook
• the Bible
• law reviews
• journals
• case decisions
• and other scholarly publications.