PENNSYLVANIA CRIMES CODE
PART II. DEFINITION OF SPECIFIC OFFENSES
CHAPTER 25. CRIMINAL HOMICIDE
§ 2501. Criminal homicide.
(a) Offense defined.-A person is guilty of criminal homicide if he
intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently causes the death of
another human being.
(b) Classification.-Criminal homicide shall be classified as murder,
voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter.
§ 2502. Murder.
(a) Murder of the first degree.-A criminal homicide constitutes murder
of the first degree when it is committed by an intentional killing.
(b) Murder of the second degree.-A criminal homicide constitutes murder
of the second degree when it is committed while defendant was engaged as
a principal or
an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony.
(c) Murder of the third degree.-All other kinds of murder shall be
murder of the third degree. Murder of the third degree is a felony of the
first degree.
(d) Definitions.-As used in this section the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
. . . .
"Intentional killing."
Killing by means of poison, or by lying in
wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated killing.
"Perpetration of a felony."
The act of the defendant in engaging in or
being an accomplice in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, or flight
after committing, or attempting to
commit robbery, rape, or deviate sexual intercourse
by force or threat of force, arson, burglary or kidnapping.
"Principal."
A person who is the actor or perpetrator of
the crime.