In addition to needing an actus reus and mens rea, criminal liability also requires causation. Causation refers to the connection between a culpable act and the harmful effect it produces.

I. Actual Causation - But For Test

As in tort law, causation has two components: actual cause and proximate cause. Under both the common law and the Model Penal Code, actual cause is determined by a "but for" analysis: But for the defendant's conduct, would the result have occurred?

If there are multiple...