Section 15.05. Culpability; definitions of culpable mental states  


Latest version.
  • The following definitions are applicable to this chapter:
        1.  "Intentionally."  A  person  acts  intentionally with respect to a
      result or to conduct described by a statute defining an offense when his
      conscious objective is to  cause  such  result  or  to  engage  in  such
      conduct.
        2.  "Knowingly." A person acts knowingly with respect to conduct or to
      a circumstance described by a statute defining an  offense  when  he  is
      aware  that  his  conduct  is  of  such nature or that such circumstance
      exists.
        3. "Recklessly." A person acts recklessly with respect to a result  or
      to  a circumstance described by a statute defining an offense when he is
      aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk
      that such result will occur or that such circumstance exists.  The  risk
      must  be  of such nature and degree that disregard thereof constitutes a
      gross deviation from the standard of conduct that  a  reasonable  person
      would observe in the situation.  A person who creates such a risk but is
      unaware  thereof  solely  by  reason of voluntary intoxication also acts
      recklessly with respect thereto.
        4. "Criminal negligence." A person acts with criminal negligence  with
      respect to a result or to a circumstance described by a statute defining
      an  offense  when  he  fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable
      risk that such result will occur or that such circumstance  exists.  The
      risk  must  be of such nature and degree that the failure to perceive it
      constitutes  a  gross  deviation  from  the  standard  of  care  that  a
      reasonable person would observe in the situation.