malice aforethought 
noun [mass noun] Law
The intention to kill or harm, which distinguishes murder from unlawful killing: the accused has caused death but did not have malice aforethought...
- If the jury decided that James lacked malice aforethought, he could still be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, i.e., unlawful killing without malice aforethought.
- Murder is unlawful homicide committed with malice aforethought.
- Did he kill her with malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately?
