Charge Reduction Misconception
This trap appears as a wrong-answer choice in 1 active question. Spotting how it is built is the repair: read each example's “why it's attractive” before the “why it's wrong.”
Subject distribution
- CRIMINAL1
Example wrong choices
14677_prop-gun-rehearsal · CRIMINAL · Choice Aguilty of murder.
Why it's attractive
If the jury finds the mistake was reasonable, the defendant lacked the mental state for murder. Guilty of murder contradicts the premise.
Why it's wrong
If the jury finds the mistake was reasonable, the defendant lacked the mental state for murder. Guilty of murder contradicts the premise.
14677_prop-gun-rehearsal · CRIMINAL · Choice Bnot guilty of murder or manslaughter.
Why it's attractive
A reasonable mistake negates the mental state for both murder and manslaughter — both are general-intent crimes.
Why it's wrong
A reasonable mistake negates the mental state for both murder and manslaughter — both are general-intent crimes.
14677_prop-gun-rehearsal · CRIMINAL · Choice Dguilty of manslaughter.
Why it's attractive
This choice understands that mistake matters but thinks it only reduces the charge. A reasonable mistake negates intent for ALL general-intent crimes, not just the top one.
Why it's wrong
This choice understands that mistake matters but thinks it only reduces the charge. A reasonable mistake negates intent for ALL general-intent crimes, not just the top one.
Practice the questions that use this trap as a distractor and get full Wrong Answer Forensics on submit.
Practice questions using this trap →