special circumstances
- Specific characteristics or actions in a criminal case that can result in harsher penalties, including the death penalty in certain states
- The defendant was charged with murder with special circumstances due to the additional crime of kidnapping.
- Because the crime involved the death of a prison guard, it was deemed murder with special circumstances.
- Her wanton disregard for life, as demonstrated by her tossing a bomb into a public place, classified her crime as one involving special circumstances.
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