Crimes are extinguished by death.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) Criminal prosecution abates upon the death of the accused — the state cannot try a dead man, and pending charges die with the defendant.

Where this applies

• A man dies while awaiting trial for fraud, and the prosecution must drop all charges because there is no defendant left to convict.
• A senator under indictment for bribery passes away, and the case is dismissed — the state cannot prosecute a dead man.
• Criminal charges against a hit-and-run suspect are automatically dismissed when she dies in an unrelated accident before trial.