Talk:Murder

Also, in some European countries, it is not murder if a mother kills her child, provided that the child is less than 356 days old.

Perhaps you would like to tell us which European country this is. I'd like to know. -- Derek Ross

This makes it sound like the mother gets off scot free:

In many countries — including Great Britain, Canada, Italy, and Australia — infanticide laws allow women to kill their child in the first year of his or her life.

I know for a fact in the UK and Australia that's not the case -- the mother might be found guilty of a lesser crime than murder, with lesser penalties, but she'd still be convicted of SOMETHING. -- An.

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The anon above is correct this is simply incorrect for the UK and Australia, I don't know about other countries, so i've moved the para to here.

In many countries — including Great Britain, Canada, Italy, and Australia — infanticide laws allow women to kill their child in the first year of his or her life. Some allow the mother to kill all her children, providing that one child hasn't yet celebrated a first birthday. The killer need then only show that the "balance of her mind was disturbed" by childbirth and having a baby in the house.

In many nations, including Great Britain, Canada, Italy and Australia, there is an infanticide clause that exempts mothers who kill a child under the age of 1 from being charged with murder. Instead, these laws typically provide that the maximum charge that can be levelled is manslaughter.