Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Murder, manslaughter, etc

175: Conspiracy to murder

You could also call this:

"Agreeing to kill someone can lead to prison time, even if the killing doesn't happen"

Illustration for Crimes Act 1961

If you agree with someone to kill another person, you can go to prison for up to 10 years. It does not matter if the killing is supposed to happen in New Zealand or somewhere else. You can still be in trouble even if the killing does not actually happen.

If someone talks about causing the death of another person outside New Zealand, it can still be considered murder. This is because it would be murder if it happened in New Zealand. The law looks at what would happen if the act were committed in New Zealand to decide if it is murder.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329326.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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174: Counselling or attempting to procure murder, or

"Trying to get someone to commit murder is against the law"

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176: Accessory after the fact to murder, or

"Helping someone who committed murder can get you in trouble with the law"

Part 8Crimes against the person
Murder, manslaughter, etc

175Conspiracy to murder

  1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who conspires or agrees with any person to murder any other person, whether the murder is to take place in New Zealand or elsewhere.

  2. For the purposes of this section, the expression to murder includes to cause the death of another person out of New Zealand in circumstances that would amount to murder if the act were committed in New Zealand.

Compare
  • 1908 No 32 s 189(a)