(a) Knowledge, recklessness, or criminal negligence as to whether conduct constitutes an offense, or knowledge, recklessness, or criminal negligence as to the existence, meaning, or application of the provision of law defining an offense, is not an element of an offense unless the provision of law clearly so provides. Use of the phrase “intent to commit a crime”, “intent to promote or facilitate the commission of a crime”, or like terminology in a provision of law does not require that the defendant act with a culpable mental state as to the criminality of the conduct that is the object of the defendant’s intent.

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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 11.81.620

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
(b) A person is not relieved of criminal liability for conduct because the person engages in the conduct under a mistaken belief of fact, unless

(1) the factual mistake is a reasonable one that negates the culpable mental state required for the commission of the offense;
(2) the provision of law defining the offense or a related provision of law expressly provides that the factual mistake constitutes a defense or exemption; or
(3) the factual mistake is a reasonable one that supports a defense of justification as provided in Alaska Stat. § 11.81.32011.81.430.