Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§918 Art. 118. Murder

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 47— - UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER X— - PUNITIVE ARTICLES › § 918

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Anyone under military law who unlawfully kills another person without a lawful reason is guilty of murder if they planned the killing, meant to kill or seriously hurt someone, or acted in a very dangerous, reckless way that showed no care for human life. It is also murder if the killing happens while committing or trying to commit serious crimes like burglary, robbery, aggravated arson, or sexual offenses (including those against children).

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §918

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any person subject to this chapter who, without justification or excuse, unlawfully kills a human being, when such person—
(1)has a premeditated design to kill;
(2)intends to kill or inflict great bodily harm;
(3)is engaged in an act which is inherently dangerous to another and evinces a wanton disregard of human life; or
(4)is engaged in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of burglary, rape, rape of a child, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual contact, sexual abuse of a child, robbery, or aggravated arson;

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 91850:712.May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 118), 64 Stat. 140. The words “of this section” are omitted as surplusage.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2023—Pub. L. 118–31 substituted “such person” for “he” in introductory and concluding provisions and substituted “direct, unless such person is otherwise sentenced in accordance with a plea agreement entered into between the parties under section 853a of this title (article 53a).” for “ direct.” in concluding provisions. 2016—Par. (4). Pub. L. 114–328 struck out “forcible sodomy,” after “burglary,”. 2014—Par. (4). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “forcible sodomy” for “sodomy”. 2011—Par. (4). Pub. L. 112–81 substituted “sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual contact, sexual abuse of a child,” for “aggravated sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual contact, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual contact with a child,”. 2006—Par. (4). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “rape, rape of a child, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual contact, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual contact with a child,” for “rape,”. 1992—Par. (3). Pub. L. 102–484 substituted “another” for “others”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2016 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–328 effective on Jan. 1, 2019, as designated by the President, with implementing

Regulations

and provisions relating to applicability to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328 and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2011 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 112–81 effective 180 days after Dec. 31, 2011, and applicable with respect to offenses committed on or after such

Effective Date

, see section 541(f) of Pub. L. 112–81, set out as a note under section 843 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2006 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 109–163 effective on Oct. 1, 2007, see section 552(f) of Pub. L. 109–163, set out as a note under section 843 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–484 effective Oct. 23, 1992, and applicable with respect to offenses committed on or after that date, see section 1067 of Pub. L. 102–484, set out as a note under section 803 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 918

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73