1. Oral or anal copulation between humans, esp. those of the same sex. [Cases: Sodomy
1. C.J.S. Sodomy §§ 2–6.]
2. Oral or anal copulation between a human and an animal; bestiality.
— Also termed buggery; crime against nature; abominable and detestable crime against nature; unnatural offense; unspeakable crime; (archaically) sodomitry; (in Latin) crimen innominatum. Cf. PEDERASTY. — sodomize, vb. — sodomitic, adj. — sodomist, sodomite, n.
“Sodomitry is a carnal copulation against nature; to wit, of man or woman in the same sex, or of either of them with beasts.” Sir Henry Finch, Law, or a Discourse Thereof 219 (1759).
“Sodomy was not a crime under the common law of England but was an ecclesiastical offense only. It was made a felony by an English statute so early that it is a common-law felony in this country, and statutes expressly making it a felony were widely adopted. ‘Sodomy’ is a generic term including both ‘bestiality’ and ‘buggery.’ ” Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 465 (3d ed. 1982).
aggravated sodomy. Criminal sodomy that involves force or results in serious bodily injury to the victim in addition to mental injury and emotional distress. • Some laws provide that sodomy involving a minor is automatically aggravated sodomy. [Cases: Sodomy
1. C.J.S. Sodomy §§ 2–6.]
