Necessity, homicide by

A species of justifiable homicide, because it arises from some unavoidable necessity, without any will, intention, or desire, and without any inadvertence or negligence in the party killing, and therefore without any shadow of blame. As, for instance, by virtue of such an office as obliges one, in the execution of public justice, to put a malefactor to death who has forfeited his life to the laws of his country. But the law must require it. otherwise it is not justifiable. 4 Bl. Comm. 178.

Defined under Necessity in Black's Law Dictionary.