Legal Definitions - general malice

General Malice

General malice describes a state of mind where an individual intends to cause harm or acts with a reckless disregard for human life, but without a specific target or victim in mind. Instead of aiming to injure a particular person, the intent is to cause harm generally, or to an unspecified group, or the perpetrator simply doesn't care who is harmed by their actions. It signifies a general ill will or a wanton disregard for the safety of others, distinguishing it from specific malice, which targets a particular individual.

• Example 1: Reckless Endangerment in a Public Place
  Imagine a person who, out of frustration, decides to fire a gun multiple times into the air in a densely populated urban area during the daytime, without aiming at any particular individual.

  This illustrates general malice because the shooter did not have a specific person in mind to harm. However, by discharging a firearm in a crowded public space, they demonstrated a clear intent to cause harm generally or a reckless disregard for the lives and safety of anyone who might be in the vicinity, fulfilling the criteria of general malice.

• Example 2: Environmental Contamination
  Consider a company executive who, to cut costs, knowingly authorizes the disposal of highly toxic industrial waste into a public water reservoir, fully aware that this action will contaminate the water supply for thousands of residents in nearby towns. The executive does not target specific families or individuals.

  This scenario demonstrates general malice because the executive's actions, while not aimed at a particular person, show a deliberate intent to cause widespread harm or a profound indifference to the health and safety of an entire community. The harm is intended generally, affecting anyone who consumes the contaminated water.

• Example 3: Arson in a Vacant Building
  Suppose an individual sets fire to an abandoned building located in a residential neighborhood, knowing that the fire could easily spread to adjacent occupied homes or that firefighters responding could be injured, but without intending to harm any specific resident or emergency worker.

  This example showcases general malice because the arsonist's intent was not to injure a particular person. However, by setting a dangerous fire in a populated area, they displayed a general intent to cause harm or a wanton disregard for the safety of anyone who might be affected by the fire's spread or the efforts to extinguish it.