Even these common specifically-Jewish surnames can be misleading, though. The surname Cohan (as in songwriter George M.) is usually Irish rather than Jewish. The surname Lavigne (as in singer Avril) is pronounced much like Levine, but it is a common gentile name among French Canadians.
malice aforethought - Legal Definition. n. The requisite state of mind for murder to be charged under the common law, involving an intent to kill or to cause serious physical harm, depraved indifference to human life, or an intent to commit another serious felony that results in a death.
What violent crime lawyers mean when they say âmurderâ is Penal Code section 187, which defines murder as the unlawful killing of another with âmalice aforethought.â Malice aforethought can be a tricky term, bandied about without understanding its meaning. In fact, courts have held that there is no single definition.