In the context of conspiracy, what is required for someone to be charged?

In Missouri criminal law, for an individual to be charged with conspiracy, there must be an overt act committed by one of the conspirators in furtherance of the agreement to commit a crime. This requirement signifies that there must be some tangible action that moves the conspiracy beyond mere planning or discussion. The overt act does not need to be illegal itself; it just must demonstrate that the conspirators took a step towards executing their plan.

This requirement is crucial as it ensures that mere thoughts or verbal agreements without any action do not constitute a conspiracy. Therefore, a simple intention or thought to commit a crime or an agreement without any follow-up action would not meet the legal threshold for conspiracy. The act must be something that shows progress toward the commission of the intended crime, confirming that the conspiratorial agreement is serious and actionable.