Motive: D’s motive will usually be irrelevantin determining whether he acted “purposely” or “intentionally.”

Example: D, in an act of euthanasia, kills V, hiswife, who has terminal cancer. D will be held to have “purposely” or“intentionally” killed V, even though he did it for ostensibly “good” motives.

B. General vs.specific intent: Courttraditionally classify the mens rea requirements of various crimes intothree groups: (1) crimes requiring merely “general intent”; (2)crimes requiring “specific intent”; and (3) crimes requiringmerely recklessness or negligence. (Strictliability crimes form a fourth category, as to which there is no culpablemental state required at all.)

1. “Generalintent”: A crime requiringmerely “general intent” is a crime for which it must merely beshown that D desired to commit the act which served as the actus reus.

2. “Specificintent”: Where a crimerequires “specific intent” or “special intent,” this means thatD, in addition to desiring to bring about the actus reus, must have desired to do somethingfurther.