What is the difference between felony murder and attempted murder?

In Indiana, felony murder and attempted murder are two distinct offenses under violent crimes law. A felony murder occurs when someone is killed during the commission of a felony, regardless of who caused the death. In other words, even if one of the participants in the felony did not themselves kill someone, they can still be held liable for the death. An example would be a group of bank robbers who accidentally shoot and kill an innocent bystander while committing the crime. All participants would be guilty of felony murder. In contrast, attempted murder occurs when a person deliberately attempts to take another life, even if they are unsuccessful in doing so. For example, if a person shoots at someone intending to kill them, but the shot misses, they would be charged with attempted murder. The key difference between felony murder and attempted murder is intent. Someone can be charged with felony murder even without intending to kill someone, but attempted murder requires the person to have had the conscious intention to cause harm.

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What is the difference between felony murder and attempted murder?

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