Regina v. Blaue
England Court of Appeal, Criminal Division
[1975] 3 All E.R. 446
- Written by Craig Conway, LLM
Facts
Blaue entered the home of an 18-year-old woman and asked her to have sexual intercourse. When the woman refused, Blaue stabbed her four times. One stab wound penetrated the woman’s lung. Upon arrival at the hospital, the woman refused a life-saving blood transfusion because of her religious beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness. The woman subsequently died. Blaue was charged with murder. At trial, the prosecution did not challenge defense counsel’s assertion of a defense due to diminished responsibility. Blaue argued that the victim’s refusal to accept medical treatment broke the chain of causation between the stabbing and her death. Blaue was acquitted of murder, but convicted of manslaughter on the ground of diminished responsibility. Blaue appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Lawton, L.J.)
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