FLAVIUS CHINTASVINTUS, KING.
XVII. Concerning Parricides, and the Disposition of their Property.
As no homicide intentionally committed is left unpunished by our laws, and as he who kills a blood-relation is more deserving of death than an ordinary murderer; we therefore promulgate the following edict, to be hereafter observed through all ages: That whoever shall be guilty of parricide; that is to say, whoever shall purposely, or actuated by the impulses of a depraved mind, kill his father, his mother, his brother, his sister, or anyone else nearly related to him, shall be immediately arrested by the judge, and put to death in the same manner as that by which he deprived his victim of life. Where the party guilty of the crime of parricide has no children, all his or her property shall belong to the nearest heirs of the person killed. If he or she should have children by another marriage, half of said property shall belong to the heirs of the person killed, and half to the children of the parricide, provided they were not implicated in the crime of the father or mother; but, if they were implicated in said crime, all of said property shall belong to the children of the deceased. But if neither the parricide nor his victim should have left any children, then the parents of the person who was killed, or his nearest relatives, or such persons as have taken upon themselves the duty of avenging his death, shall have the undoubted right to claim for themselves the entire property of said parricide.
ANCIENT LAW.
XVIII. Concerning Those who Kill Others Related to Them by Blood.
If a father should kill his son; or a son his father; or a husband his wife; or a wife her husband; or a mother her daughter; or a daughter her mother; or a brother his brother; or a sister her sister; or a son-in-law his father-in-law; or a father-in-law his son-in-law; or a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law; or a mother-in-law her daughter-in-law; or if any of said persons should kill anyone else related to them by blood or lineage, they shall be condemned to death. And, if on account of his crime, the homicide should flee to a church, or take refuge at the Holy Altar, he shall be delivered up into the power of the parents or relatives of him whom he killed; and they shall have full authority to dispose of him, according to their pleasure, except to deprive him of life. And we decree that all his property shall go to the heirs of the person killed, as hereinbefore provided; or be forfeited to the Crown, should the person killed leave no near heirs; for a homicide, if liberated, has no right to the enjoyment of his property, even should he escape the penalty of death.
XIX. Where One Blood Relative is Accidentally Killed by Another.
If a father should kill his son; or a son his father; or a mother her daughter; or a brother his brother; or any person one nearly related to him; and he who commits such an act should be impelled by injury, or should be acting in self-defence, and it can be proven in open court, by respectable witnesses, who are worthy of credit, that the parricide was committed in self-defence; the party accused shall be in no danger of his life, and shall be discharged, without loss of property or subjection to torture; such discrimination being used as is proper in all cases of homicide.
FLAVIUS RECESVINTUS, KING.
XX. Where One Slave Kills Another by Accident.