Felony

[X. Fr. felonU; L. Lat. /elonia.] In criminal law. An offence which occasions a total forfeiture of either lands or goods, or both. 4 BL Com. 95, 98. An offence punishable by forfeiture, and also by death or other punishment. Id. ibid. An offence punishable by death, or by imprisonment in a state prison. 2 J\r. Y. Rev, St. [702,] 587, § 30. This term, and its peculiar import of forfeiture, are derived from the feudal law, {supra;) and in England forfeiture is still the true criterion of felony. 4 Bl. Com, 97. 4 Steph, Com, 61. The punishment of death abo enters in a great decree (though not necessarily nor uniformly) mto the idea of felony. 4 Bl, Com, 97, 98. Hence, Blackstone has defined it to be " an offence which occasions a total forfeiture of either lands or goods, or both, at the common law, and to which capital or other punishment may be superadded, according to the degree of guilt." Id. 95. In American law, forfeiture as a consequence of crime bemg generally abolished, the word felony has lost its original and characteristic meaning, and is rather used to denote any high crime that is punishable by death or imprisonment. See the New- York definition, supra. U. S. Digest d: Supplement, Felony. Felony is indeed, properly, rather a generic term, denoting a certain class of offences, than any one in particular. In England, it includes all capital crimes below treason, and, strictly, treason also. 4 BL Cam. 95, 98. 3 Inst. 15.