Attempted crimes vs actual crimes committed?
I was wondering what seems to be our rational behind our system of legal lenency when it comes to attempted murder vs actual murder if both acts are thought out and only luck being the deciding factor between the murder and the actual murder , why do we as a legal system tend to view these things less serious.
Comments
It's the amount of damage that's actually done. If I plan to poison my husband, and he gets suspicious when I won't eat the stew, and takes a sample to the lab, well, I haven't killed him. However, if he eats the stew and wants seconds, and he keels over and dies, then he's dead, and nothing can undo that.
Attempted murder often carries a life sentence along with it. I wouldn't say attempted murder is less serious, I think it quite often only takes the death penalty off the table.
The two being given distinction from one another does not necessarily mean attempted murder is any less heinous or punishable, it just means they are two different realities.
EDIT, also note that in some scenarios, like in rape, there is no distinction between attempted rape and successful rape, the two are one and the same.