The Heat of Passion Doctrine: Killing Your Spouse & Getting Away with Murder

By Troy Veenstra

In Maryland, 1994, Kenneth Peacock returned home to find his wife of several years in bed with another man.

After chasing the man out of the house at gunpoint, he spent several more hours drinking and arguing with his adulterous wife before shooting her in the head with his single shot rifle (the second shot killer her as the first was shot hit the wall just above her head).

Thanks to the Heat of Passion Defense, Peacock was able to get his first-degree murder charge reduced to voluntary manslaughter and thanks to soft heart judge only served 18 months in a work release program.

Several Americans may not know about the Heat of Passion Doctrine, nor may they realize that this legal defense is allow both Husbands and Wives to kill their significant other in cold blood for cheating... in the marital relationship

• Language: English
• Publisher: Veenstra/Exploited Publishing Inc
• Release date: Mar 31, 2011
• ISBN: 2940012349491

Troy Veenstra

1974-2018Troy Veenstra grew up in the city of Wyoming Michigan. He was born the eldest of two brothers and two sisters. In 1998 after the death of his father: who he quit school to take care of, he went to live with his maternal grandparents, living with them until they passed away one after the other in 1999.In 2000, his mentor, John Collins, owner of Weird Review Magazine, felt that Troy had much more potential than he realized, assisted him in getting back to school, where he obtained his High School degree six months later. Throughout 2001-2003 Troy attended Grand Rapids Community College majoring in English & Criminology studies. Later in 2004, he transferred to Davenport University studying in the area of Law, making the Dean’s List in both summer and winter semesters for 2004, 2005, and 2006. Troy also received several competitive scholarship awards from various foundations, twice obtaining an award from the Grand Rapids Foundation.In late 2004, he became a member of the Kent County CASA program (Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children) and served as a child advocate until health issues prevented him from doing so in late 2008.Currently Troy has six novels accredited to his name as well as over 150 other titles in two pen names, ranging in genres such as True Crime, Legal Reference, Drama, Historical Fiction, Legal Fiction, Christian Fiction, satire, comedy, Children Fiction and women's romance/lit.Troy has won 2nd place in the 2013 Best Author Award from Fiction4all.comTroy’s Links:[e-mail]://www.independentauthornetwork.com/troy-veenstra.htmlhttps://www.smashwords.com/interview/TVeenstrahttp://www.linkedin.com/pub/troy-veenstra/36/910/470http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=179079https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4205489.Troy_Veenstra?from_search=truehttp://www.xinxii.com/adocs.php/en?aid=42296https://www.facebook.com/Authortroyveenstra?ref=hl

Book preview

The Heat of Passion Doctrine:

Killing Your Spouse & Getting Away with Murder

Troy Veenstra

Smashwords Edition © 2012 – 2017 REVISED Troy Veenstra In association with Veenstra publishing all rights, printing and digital are reserved. The information in this book is for entertainment and educational information only; it is NOT intended as a guidebook or reference book on how to kill a loved one or for that matter anyone else. The information contained herein is based on documented public case law and Legal statutes. Any use of the information of this book for purposes outside of this intention is prohibited (So please do not go out and use this book to kill your spouse!).

DISCLAIMER:

The reader is notified herein that this book is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Since the law is in constant flux, no rule or statement of law in this paper should be relied upon for any service to any client. The reader should seek assistance from legal expert if such assistance is required; the services of the appropriate profession should be sought. The author of this book makes no representation or warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the warranties of fitness for particular purpose, nor are any such representations implied with respect to the material set herein. The Author, publisher and subsidiaries, take no responsibility with respects to such material. The author and publisher shall not be liable for any special consequential or exemplary damages resulting in whole or par, from the reader’s use of, or reliance upon the material stated herein.

Chapters:

Chapter One: Introduction

Chapter Two: Legal Definitions to Note

Chapter Three: The First Use of the Heat of

Passion Doctrine: The Daniel Sickles Case

Chapter Four: Case Laws that outline the

Rules

Chapter Five: Putting it all together: State v

Thornton Case

Chapter Six: Conclusion Work Sited

Chapter 1

Introduction

The overall purpose of this book is that of an informative look at the issue that plagues our society and allows murderers to go free every day in a court of law. That said, we should also say this. To all those that are reading this book and giving me, the author, a look of disapproval, or the raised eyebrow and thinking that I am male-chauvinistic for writing this book, or coming up with such a heinous topic, let me assure you that I am very much far from it. The book is "The Heat of Passion Doctrine, How to Murder your SPOUSE & get away with Murder. Currently, in this society, where men and woman are treated equally, women killing lovers, husbands or other intimate partners are on the rise each year. Please keep this in mind before judging me on misconceptions alone.

This book originally started as a thesis paper for both my Criminal and Family law classes where the Family law professor was female and thought the topic was very interesting, given the area in which it was going to review. Also, take note that the information addressed in this book is not binding in all 50 states, as each state has its own legal interpretation on the Heat of Passion Doctrine, thus the information and case references in this book are done more as a national base informative book. That said most states follow some sort of basic principles stated in the cases listed.

So getting back on subject, I would imagine there are some readers that think what the title of this book alleges is more conjecture than fact. You might think that in this day of equality of the sexes that a male or female taking the life of the other would never be able to get away with murder and for the most part you would be right with the exception of a justifiable homicide ruling. However, once we change the terminology of a female to a wife or lover, and a male to husband or lover, this conjecture is turned upside down with the introduction of the Heat of Passion Doctrine. From the first documented case of this doctrine in the Daniel Sickles murder case spanning as far back as 1859 (in which a distinguished Congressman