Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

mens rea

[Law Latin "guilty mind"] The state of mind that the prosecution, to secure a conviction, must prove that a defendant had when committing a crime; criminal intent or recklessness <the mens red for theft is the intent to deprive the rightful owner of the property>. ( Mens rea is the second of two essential elements of every crime at common law, the other being the actus reus. Pl. mentes reae (men-teez ree-ee). - Also termed mental element; criminal intent; guilty mind. Cf. ACTUS REDS.