bestilt mord
A murder carried out by arrangement, order, or commission from another person. Danish law treats this as murder under the Criminal Code, with the person ordering the killing prosecuted as an accessory or co-perpetrator.
Definition
Bestilt mord (commissioned murder or contract killing) refers to a homicide committed at the request, order, or instruction of another person. While Danish law does not contain a separate criminal provision specifically titled "bestilt mord," such killings are prosecuted under the general murder provision in the Criminal Code, Section 237, which prohibits intentional killings. The person who orders or commissions the murder is held criminally liable through the rules on complicity.
Under Danish criminal law, both the person who physically carries out the killing and the person who orders it can be prosecuted for murder. The person commissioning the murder is typically charged as an accessory under Section 23 of the Criminal Code, which establishes that anyone who has instigated, advised, or otherwise aided in the commission of a crime is punishable as an accomplice. In cases of commissioned murder, the person ordering the killing may be sentenced as severely as the actual perpetrator, particularly if they are found to have played a decisive role in bringing about the crime.
Commissioned murders often involve financial payment or other forms of compensation, leading to the common designation "contract killing" in true crime contexts. However, the element of payment is not legally necessary for the act to constitute bestilt mord—what matters is that one person has instigated or arranged for another to commit the killing. The prosecution must prove that the person accused of commissioning the murder had the requisite intent and that their actions directly contributed to the homicide.
The penalties for murder under Danish law are severe. Section 237 prescribes punishment ranging from five years to life imprisonment, depending on the circumstances and severity of the crime. Courts consider factors such as premeditation, brutality, and the relationship between perpetrator and victim when determining sentences. In commissioned murder cases, the deliberate and calculated nature of arranging another person's death is typically viewed as an aggravating circumstance that warrants a substantial prison sentence for both the person who carries out the killing and the person who orders it.
