principal in the first degree

Definition of "principal in the first degree"
  1. The main person in common law who willfully commits a crime and is either physically or impliedly present during the crime's occurrence
How to use "principal in the first degree" in a sentence
  1. The guilty man who held the stolen goods was prosecuted as the principal in the first degree.
  2. Upon reviewing the evidence, the jury determined that the defendant was the principal in the first degree in the robbery.
  3. Despite many individuals involved in the crime, the prosecution aimed to identify the principal in the first degree.

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