Don't know how much of this I can legally copy. I find it interesting but don't know how valid it is since it comes from wikipedia and not a law book. It is SNIPPED++++++++++
--Jake
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motive_%28law)
In law, especially
criminal law, a
motive is the cause that moves people and induce a certain action. Motive in itself is seldom an element of any given
crime; however, the legal system typically allows motive to be proven in order to make plausible the accused's reasons for committing a crime, at least when those motives may be obscure or hard to identify with.
The law technically distinguishes between motive and
intent. "Intent" in criminal law is synonymous with
mens rea, which means no more than the specific mental purpose to perform a deed that is forbidden by a criminal
statute, or the reckless disregard of whether the law will be violated. "Motive" describes instead the reasons in the accused's background and station in life that are supposed to have induced the crime.
SNIPPED++++++++++++++++++