California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Quintero, C086794 (Cal. App. 2019):
" 'A murder that is premeditated and deliberate is murder of the first degree.' [Citation.] ' "In this context, 'premeditated' means 'considered beforehand,' and 'deliberate' means 'formed or arrived at or determined upon as a result of careful thought and weighing of considerations for and against the proposed course of action.' " ' [Citation.] ' "An intentional killing is premeditated and deliberate if it occurred as the result of preexisting thought and reflection rather than unconsidered or rash impulse." ' [Citations.] 'The true test is not the duration of time as much as it is the extent of the reflection. Thoughts may follow each other with great rapidity and cold, calculated judgment may be arrived at quickly . . . .' " (People v. Potts (2019) 6 Cal.5th 1012, 1027.)
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