Reuben forces his way into the house of an elderly couple.He tells the lady that if she does not help him in carrying out a bank heist,he will shoot her husband.Which defense would be acceptable for the elderly lady is she in fact goes along with Reuben and helps him carry out the bank heist?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Duress is a defense that can be used when a person is forced to commit a crime under threat of harm or death. In this scenario, Reuben is threatening to harm the lady's husband if she does not help him carry out the bank heist. If she goes along with Reuben and participates in the crime, she may be able to argue that she did so under duress, and her actions were not voluntary. The elderly lady's compliance in participating in the bank heist would be excused because she acted under the threat of harm or death.

Reuben Forces His Way into the House of an Elderly