Key Facts for Presenting a Duress Defense

A duress defense is a legal strategy used in criminal cases to argue that the defendant committed a crime because they were forced to do so under the threat of imminent harm. To successfully present a duress defense, a criminal defense lawyer must establish several critical facts. Here are the essential elements:

1. Imminent Threat of Serious Harm

Existence of an Imminent Threat: The defense must demonstrate that the defendant was under a credible and immediate threat of serious bodily harm or death at the time of the crime. The threat must be present and not a vague or future threat.

• Evidence: Witness testimony, physical evidence of threats (such as messages or recordings), and expert testimony on the nature of the threat.

2. No Reasonable Opportunity to Escape

No Reasonable Escape: The defendant must show that they had no reasonable opportunity to escape or avoid committing the crime without facing the threatened harm. The defense must establish that compliance with the threat was the only viable option.

• Evidence: Situational analysis, expert testimony on the feasibility of escape, and evidence showing the lack of safe alternatives.

3. Direct Causal Link

Causation: There must be a direct causal link between the threat and the criminal act. The defense must prove that the defendant committed the crime specifically because of the threat and not for any other reason.

• Evidence: The defendant’s testimony explaining their actions and motive, corroborative witness statements, and any documentation that connects the threat to the criminal act.

4. Proportionality of the Response

Proportional Response: The force or criminal act used by the defendant in response to the threat must be proportional to the threat. The defense must argue that the defendant’s actions were reasonable given the circumstances.

• Evidence: Comparative analysis of the threat and the defendant’s response, expert opinions on reasonable responses under duress, and evidence demonstrating that the defendant’s actions were a direct response to the threat.

5. Lack of Voluntary Association

No Prior Association: The defendant must not have voluntarily placed themselves in a situation where they knew they would be subjected to duress. If the defendant willingly associated with criminals or entered a situation likely to involve coercion, the duress defense might be weakened.

• Evidence: Background information on the defendant’s relationship with the coercer, evidence showing the lack of prior knowledge of the threat, and character witnesses to attest to the defendant’s usual behavior.

6. Specific Intent and State of Mind

Mental State: The defense must prove that the defendant genuinely believed that the threat was real and imminent, and that this belief led them to commit the crime.

• Evidence: Psychological evaluations, expert testimony on the defendant’s state of mind, and evidence showing the consistency of the defendant’s actions with someone acting under duress.

Conclusion

To successfully present a duress defense, a criminal defense lawyer must establish the existence of an imminent threat of serious harm, prove that there was no reasonable opportunity to escape, demonstrate a direct causal link between the threat and the criminal act, show that the defendant’s response was proportional, establish that the defendant did not voluntarily place themselves in the situation, and confirm the defendant’s specific intent and state of mind. These elements must be supported by comprehensive evidence, including witness testimonies, expert opinions, and situational analysis, to build a compelling case for the defendant’s actions being justified under duress.