mayhem

/may"hem, may"euhm/, n.

1. Law. the crime of willfully inflicting a bodily injury on another so as to make the victim less capable of self-defense or, under modern statutes, so as to cripple or mutilate the victim.

2. random or deliberate violence or damage.

3. a state of rowdy disorder: Antagonisms between the various factions at the meeting finally boiled over, and mayhem ensued.

[1350-1400; ME maheym, maim < AF mahe(i)m, mahaim < Gmc; akin to MHG meidem gelding, ON meitha to injure. See MAIM]

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Crime of willfully and permanently crippling, mutilating, or disfiguring any part of another's body.

Some jurisdictions do not distinguish between mayhem and other types of battery. Japanese law treats all batteries similarly; Indian law divides bodily harms into "hurts" and "grievous hurts." In most U.S. states mayhem is encompassed by assault and aggravated assault.

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▪ Anglo-American law

      in Anglo-American law, offense against the person in which the offender violently deprives his victim of a member of his body, thus making him less able to defend himself. The disabling of an arm, hand, finger, leg, foot, or eye are examples of mayhem. In a number of jurisdictions, mere disfigurement or maiming is considered mayhem. To be guilty of the criminal offense, one must intend to dismember the victim or must assault him so recklessly as to create the danger of dismemberment even though not intending to cripple.

      Some jurisdictions do not distinguish between mayhem and other types of battery. Japan treats all batteries similarly. Most criminal systems, however, divide batteries into two classes, reserving the more severe penalties for “aggravated” batteries including mayhem. The terminology varies from country to country. Thus, Indian law divides bodily harms into “hurts” and “grievous hurts.” See also assault and battery.

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