How important does someone have to be before it's considered 'assassination' (instead of 'murder')

Question

How important does someone have to be before it's considered 'assassination' (instead of 'murder')

Answer 1

I could be wrong, but when the sniper was going on a rampage normal people were being reported as Assassinated.  I think it is more that if a person is killed from a concealed location without provocation it can be deemed an Assassination.  You just see it more with High-Profile individuals.

Answer 2

Anyone can be murdered; you have to be a 'politically prominent' person to be assassinated.

Answer 3

Martin Luther King was assassinated.

JFK was assassinated.

RFK was assassinated.

Biggie, that ****** ****** got shot.

[Apologies to Chris Rock.]

Answer 4

It is a determination of the editor of the news.  A city mayor would not be known outside his state.  Yet a national level newspaper would say mayor of "Mayberry Mayor assassinated."

Answer 5

assassination  

as·sas·si·na·tion [ə sàss’n áysh’n]

n

1.  murder: the killing of a political leader or other public figure by a sudden violent attack

an unsuccessful assassination attempt



2.  destruction of something: the destruction of something such as somebody’s reputation by malicious or treacherous means  

Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Answer 6

Assassination and Murder are best defined in Encyclopedia.

Your query will be best resolved.

Answer 7

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