Originally Posted by
smcmike
This isn't a bad answer, and I'm not trying to trap you, only to demonstrate that your example of a simple rule is not that simple. If I were to break your answer down, I certainly would ask for a definition of premeditation, but I'd also ask if it is the same as intent (it isn't), the definition of intent, the definition of human beings, the definition of killing, and whether there are any exceptions or additions to the above definition (there are several of both). I'd also point out that the precise definition varies to some degree from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and that in my jurisdiction "murder" doesn't require premeditation at all - it's an element for first degree murder, but second degree murder can be committed without it.
The source of all of this in my jurisdiction is hundreds of years of rulings, with a thin veneer of statute laid on top. And we still debate the application all the time! You think juries never argue about the definition and application of premeditation?