[Latin, The body of the crime.] The foundation or material substance of a crime.
The phrase corpus delicti might be used to mean the physical object upon which the crime was committed, such as a dead body or the charred remains of a house, or it might signify the act itself, that is, the murder or Arson.
The corpus delicti is also used to describe the evidence that proves that a crime has been committed.
West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
=========================================
corpus delicti n. (corpus dee-lick-tie) Latin for the substantial fact that a crime has been committed, and in popular crime jargon, the body of the murder victim.
Copyright © 1981-2005 by Gerald N. Hill and Kathleen T. Hill. All Right reserved.
CORPUS DELICTI. The body of the offence; the essence of the crime
2. It is a general rule not to convict unless the corpus delicti can be established, that is, until the dead body has been found. Best o Instances have occurred of a person being convicted of having killed another, who, after the supposed criminal has been put to death for the supposed offence, has made his appearance alive. The wisdom of the rule is apparent; but it has been questioned whether, in extreme cases, it may not be competent to prove the basis of the corpus delicti by presumptive evidence.
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.
