Why do Americans call Murder Homicide and Crimes Felonies?
Aaltonen is incorrect to suggest that in England and Wales ‘misdemeanours’ are summary offences and ‘felonies’ indictable. In fact, the terms misdemeanours and felonies in the criminal law of England and Wales was abolished very many years ago. Summary offences are merely ones that can be tried by magistrates, whether lay or professional whilst indictable offences are tried before a Judge and jury at Crown Court. Some offences are ‘either way’, that means either party may elect for trial at Crown Court, although the final decision is that of the defendant. In the USA, as I understand it, homicide is a generic term for the wrongful killing of one person by another, but the legal offence remains one or murder (in whatever degree) or manslaughter.
