Accomplice Mens Rea and Actus Reus
In order to obtain a conviction of a defendant for being a principal or an accessory before the fact, the prosecution must prove that the defendant committed an act that either encouraged or actually
helped the criminal, that he had the requisite
intent of encouraging or
helping the criminal, and that the criminal who was encouraged or
assisted by the defendant actually committed the crime...
In order to demonstrate that the defendant committed the requisite actus reus, the prosecution must show that the defendant either directly or
indirectly encouraged or
facilitated the commission of the crime. A person has facilitated a commission of the crime if he provides the criminal with the
means that the criminal uses to commit the crime...
Other jurisdictions only require the prosecutor to show that the
accomplice knew that his actions would either
assist or encourage the commission of a crime. The difference is that, in jurisdictions that require the prosecution to prove only that the accomplice acted while knowing that his actions would aid or encourage the commission of a crime, the accomplice can be convicted
even if he did not actually want his actions to aid or encourage the commission of a crime. In these jurisdictions, even if the accomplice was dead-set against his actions being used to encourage or aid in the commission of a crime and even if he did not intend for his actions to aid or encourage the commission of the crime, so long as he knew that his actions would
aid or encourage the commission of a crime, he can be convicted as an
accomplice.
Accomplice Mens Rea and Actus Reus - LawShelf Educational Media (
emp. mine)