Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040 (2026)

Rape in the first degree

✓ current as of May 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section KY-LRCapps.legislature.ky.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

(1) A person is guilty of rape in the first degree when: (a) He engages in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion; or (b) He engages in sexual intercourse with another person who is incapable of consent because he: 1. Is physically helpless; or 2. Is less than twelve (12) years old. (2) Rape in the first degree is a Class B felony unless the victim is under twelve (12) years old or receives a serious physical injury in which case it is a Class A felony. Effective: January 1, 1975 History: Created 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 406, sec. 84, effective January 1, 1975.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 117 cases (32 in the last 5 years), 1977–2026 · leading case: David Alan Jenkins v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 496 S.W.3d 435 (Ky. 2016).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

David Alan Jenkins v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 496 S.W.3d 435 (Ky. 2016). · cites it 6× “Within this cohesive and interlocking structure, the offenses of unlawful sexual intercourse range from Rape in the First Degree for the perpetrator who uses forcible compulsion to overpower the victim and causes the victim to suffer serious physical injury (or whose victim is…”

Yates v. Commonwealth, 430 S.W.3d 883 (Ky. 2014). · cites it 8× “Directed Verdict Issue Appellant’s first argument on appeal is that the Commonwealth failed to produce sufficient evidence of the element of “forcible compulsion” as required for his conviction under KRS 510.040(l)(a), 3 and, thereby, the trial court committed reversible error…”

Shane v. Commonwealth, 243 S.W.3d 336 (Ky. 2007). · cites it 4× “The Commonwealth lodged a detainer for Appellant and upon his return to Kentucky a blood sample was taken which matched the profile obtained from the cigarette butt.”

Miller v. Commonwealth, 77 S.W.3d 566 (Ky. 2002). · cites it 4× “040(1)(b)(2)), or "by force or threat of force after her 12th birthday" (Class B felony, KRS 510.040(1)(a)); and 166 counts of first-degree sodomy either "with a child under the age of 12" (Class A felony, KRS 510.”

Love v. Commonwealth, 55 S.W.3d 816 (Ky. 2001). · cites it 4× “, KRS 510.040(2) and KRS 510.070(2). It is a defense to those offenses that the defendant did not know the age status of the victim.”

Commonwealth v. Vincent, 70 S.W.3d 422 (Ky. 2002). · cites it 6× “200 (Capital First Degree Use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction), and will therefore be violent offenses whenever committed, the same generalization is not true as to Class A felonies and Class B felonies.”

Price v. Commonwealth, 31 S.W.3d 885 (Ky. 2000). · cites it 4× “KRS 510.040. Rejecting his version of the shooting, but accepting his version of the sexual assault, the jury found Appellant guilty of the murder of Carol Price and of the attempted first-degree rape of L.”

Miller v. Commonwealth, 283 S.W.3d 690 (Ky. 2009). · cites it 2× “KRS 510.040 (emphasis added). Rape in the third degree occurs when a defendant has consensual sexual intercourse with another person who is: (1) mentally retarded; (2) less than sixteen years old, when the defendant is twenty-one years old or more.”

Newcomb v. Commonwealth, 410 S.W.3d 63 (Ky. 2013). · cites it 3× “He claims the Commonwealth failed to present evidence of forcible compulsion at trial, as required under KRS 510.040(l)(a). When ruling on a directed verdict motion, the trial court must view the evidence in favor of the Commonwealth.”

United States v. Faustino Gomez, 757 F.3d 885 (9th Cir. 2014). · cites it 2× “§§ 21-5503 (a)(3), 21-5506(b), 21-5507(a); Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 510.040(l)(b)(2); Me.”

Deno v. Commonwealth, 177 S.W.3d 753 (Ky. 2005). · cites it 2× “During the trial, the Appellant requested that the jury instructions include not only the charged offense of first-degree rape under KRS 510.040, but also, as a lesser included crime, sexual misconduct.”

Dixon v. Commonwealth, 263 S.W.3d 583 (Ky. 2008). · cites it 2× “The elements of first-degree rape appear in KRS 510.040. That statute provides, in relevant part, that “[a] person is guilty of rape in the first degree when .”

Show all 117 citing cases →

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(1) — 7 cases

David Alan Jenkins v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 496 S.W.3d 435 (Ky. 2016). “Within this cohesive and interlocking structure, the offenses of unlawful sexual intercourse range from Rape in the First Degree for the perpetrator who uses forcible compulsion to overpower the victim and causes the victim to suffer serious physical injury (or whose victim is…”

Commonwealth v. Vincent, 70 S.W.3d 422 (Ky. 2002). “200 (Capital First Degree Use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction), and will therefore be violent offenses whenever committed, the same generalization is not true as to Class A felonies and Class B felonies.”

Aaron Basham v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 455 S.W.3d 415 (Ky. 2014).

Day v. Commonwealth, 174 S.W.3d 496 (Ky. Ct. App. 2004).

Eric Alderson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2023).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(1)(a) — 13 cases

Edmonds v. Commonwealth, 189 S.W.3d 558 (Ky. 2006).

Miller v. Commonwealth, 77 S.W.3d 566 (Ky. 2002). “040(1)(b)(2)), or "by force or threat of force after her 12th birthday" (Class B felony, KRS 510.040(1)(a)); and 166 counts of first-degree sodomy either "with a child under the age of 12" (Class A felony, KRS 510.”

Malone v. Commonwealth, 636 S.W.2d 647 (Ky. 1982).

Robinson v. Commonwealth, 212 S.W.3d 100 (Ky. 2006).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(1)(b) — 8 cases

Young v. Commonwealth, 968 S.W.2d 670 (Ky. 1998).

Charles M. Stowers v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. Ct. App. 2024).

Knox v. Commonwealth, 735 S.W.2d 711 (Ky. 1987).

Lloyd Bandy v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2017).

Michael Robertson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2023).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(1)(b)(2) — 3 cases

Ronnie Duvall v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2025).

Charles Wayne French v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2006).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(2) — 8 cases

Love v. Commonwealth, 55 S.W.3d 816 (Ky. 2001). “, KRS 510.040(2) and KRS 510.070(2). It is a defense to those offenses that the defendant did not know the age status of the victim.”

Whorton v. Commonwealth, 570 S.W.2d 627 (Ky. 1978).

Dixon v. Commonwealth, 263 S.W.3d 583 (Ky. 2008). “The elements of first-degree rape appear in KRS 510.040. That statute provides, in relevant part, that “[a] person is guilty of rape in the first degree when .”

Phipps v. State, 385 A.2d 90 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 1978).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(l)(a) — 16 cases

Yates v. Commonwealth, 430 S.W.3d 883 (Ky. 2014). “Directed Verdict Issue Appellant’s first argument on appeal is that the Commonwealth failed to produce sufficient evidence of the element of “forcible compulsion” as required for his conviction under KRS 510.040(l)(a), 3 and, thereby, the trial court committed reversible error…”

Newcomb v. Commonwealth, 410 S.W.3d 63 (Ky. 2013). “He claims the Commonwealth failed to present evidence of forcible compulsion at trial, as required under KRS 510.040(l)(a). When ruling on a directed verdict motion, the trial court must view the evidence in favor of the Commonwealth.”

Smith v. Commonwealth, 722 S.W.2d 892 (Ky. 1987).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(l)(b) — 5 cases

Sherley v. Commonwealth, 558 S.W.2d 615 (Ky. 1977).

Meadows v. Commonwealth, 178 S.W.3d 527 (Ky. Ct. App. 2005).

Jordan v. Commonwealth, 74 S.W.3d 263 (Ky. 2002).

Knox v. Commonwealth, 735 S.W.2d 711 (Ky. 1987).

Lloyd Bandy v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2017).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 510.040(l)(b)(2) — 3 cases

United States v. Faustino Gomez, 757 F.3d 885 (9th Cir. 2014). “§§ 21-5503 (a)(3), 21-5506(b), 21-5507(a); Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 510.040(l)(b)(2); Me.”

Kentucky v. Hamilton, 468 U.S. 1217 (1984).

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.