Lying in wait

In criminal law, lying in wait refers to the act of hiding and waiting for an individual with the intent to kill or inflict serious bodily harm to that person.[1] Because lying in wait involves premeditation, some jurisdictions have established that lying in wait is considered an aggravating circumstance that allows for the imposition of harsher criminal penalties.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b "Lying in wait" (PDF). Black's Law Dictionary. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  2. ^ See also H. Mitchell Caldwell, The Prostitution of Lying in Wait, 57 U. Miami L. Rev. 311, 313 (2003) (discussing application of special circumstances when criminal defendants lie in wait).