The act or omissions that comprise the physical elements of a crime as required by statute. See, e.g. Schad v. Arizona, 501 U.S. 624 (1991).
The statutory definition of a crime pairs Actus Reus with Mens rea, the psychological state defining a criminal perpetrator as culpable for having committed a crime.
See criminal law
Believing that murder is an art and in carrying it out successfully they will prove themselves "superior beings", Brandon and Phillip intentionally strangle their former classmate Dennis with a rope. The actus reus is the act of strangulation- that is putting the rope around the neck of Dennis and cutting off the circulation of blood to his brain until he is dead. The mens rea refers to the guilty mental state of the two men. In this case, mens rea is the men's intentional wish to bring about the death of Dennis as they strangle him.
