Ohio § 2901.21

§ 2901.21.

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, a person is not guilty of an

offense unless both of the following apply: (1) The person's liability is based on conduct that includes either a voluntary act,

or an omission to perform an act or duty that the person is capable of performing; (2) The person has the requisite degree of culpability for each element as to which a

culpable mental state is specified by the language defining the offense. (B) When the language defining an offense does not specify any degree of culpability,

and plainly indicates a purpose to impose strict criminal liability for the conduct

described in the section, then culpability is not required for a person to be guilty

of the offense.  The fact that one division of a section plainly indicates a purpose to impose strict

liability for an offense defined in that division does not by itself plainly indicate

a purpose to impose strict criminal liability for an offense defined in other divisions

of the section that do not specify a degree of culpability. (C)(1) When language defining an element of an offense that is related to knowledge or intent

or to which mens rea could fairly be applied neither specifies culpability nor plainly

indicates a purpose to impose strict liability, the element of the offense is established

only if a person acts recklessly. (2) Division (C)(1) of this section does not apply to offenses defined in Title XLV of

the Revised Code. (3) Division (C)(1) of this section does not relieve the prosecution of the burden of

proving the culpable mental state required by any definition incorporated into the

offense. (E) 1 Voluntary intoxication may not be taken into consideration in determining the existence

of a mental state that is an element of a criminal offense.  Voluntary intoxication does not relieve a person of a duty to act if failure to

act constitutes a criminal offense.  Evidence that a person was voluntarily intoxicated may be admissible to show whether

or not the person was physically capable of performing the act with which the person

is charged. (F) 1 As used in this section: (1) Possession is a voluntary act if the possessor knowingly procured or received the

thing possessed, or was aware of the possessor's control of the thing possessed for

a sufficient time to have ended possession. (2) Reflexes, convulsions, body movements during unconsciousness or sleep, and body movements

that are not otherwise a product of the actor's volition, are involuntary acts. (3) “ Culpability ” means purpose, knowledge, recklessness, or negligence, as defined in section 2901.22 of the Revised Code . (4) “ Intoxication ” includes, but is not limited to, intoxication resulting from the ingestion of alcohol,

a drug, or alcohol and a drug. 1

 Division designation so in original, 2014 S 361.