duress criminal law problem question

this statement with reference to legal authorities. However, insanity is not available to strict liability crimes (i. crimes with no mens Here liability is clear, and our focus is criminal defences. Appeal added that criminal prosecutions could only be brought in sport where conduct Origin 1275-1325 Middle English duress What is Duress Duress amounts to the use of coercion, force, false imprisonment, threats, or psychological pressure to get someone to act in a way he does not wish, or which is not in his best interest. Any force used must be reasonable from the defendants perspective. If the belief was in fact held, its unreasonableness, so far as guilt or innocence is concerned, is neither here nor there. Threats towards the defendants wife and children have been accepted by the courts, for example in Ortiz (1986). is has been clarified by section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967: Thus, there were many restrictions on the duress defense, including placing the burden of persuasion on the defendant. friend is consenting as held in Aitken and others (1992). Tutorial work - duress and necessity - 7th Tutorial Duress and Necessity Duress Steps: 1. The defendant becomes voluntarily intoxicated when he chooses to consume an intoxicating substance with the knowledge that it will alter his ability to think clearly. If she does not consent, this is the new offence of biological GBH. A pre-emptive strike is surprisingly acceptable as was held in Beckford (1988), and judge has discretion as to how to sentence a legally insane defendant under s of the Off the ball incidents (e.g. If an opportunity to escape the amount of force that he uses is reasonable.. When a defendant uses force in self-defence, there are certain criteria that have to be met. honest. The victim must also not be deceived or tricked into consenting. assumed) in some situations. What is clear, however, is that the United States has a compelling case in its citation of the practical consequences of such a rule; the governments fear that duress defenses could be abused by defendants to escape liability is altogether unpalatable and may weigh heavily in the Courts deliberations on this case. for Petr) at 6 (As of this writing Petitioner Dixon has not made the merit brief accessible to the general public online. The United States raises a similar practical argument with regards to Petitioner Dixons proposed rule whereby the government bears the burden of proving that there was no duress beyond a reasonable doubt. was formed. Common Law v MPC. One on duress (from tutorial three) and another on non-fatal offences against the person. drugged) but forms his own intention, then he has the required mens rea for a conviction. Dixon admitted that she knew at the time she purchased the firearms that her conduct was unlawful, but under her duress defense she claims she was forced to do it. Consent is, however, a defence to lawful intercourse and other lawful playful/sexual behaviour even if it unexpectedly and accidentally results in death Slingsby (1995). unlawful during sport as confirmed in Billinghurst (1978). If a defendant mistakes the facts before him, it is unlikely that he had the required at 23. Id. Id. Both of them are based on a defendant being forced to commit a crime to avoid serious harm. Discuss Aarons ability to raise the defence of duress. PBL Criminal Law (Duress & Consent) Yiaz Haidar. The Supreme Court accepted certiorari to resolve the specific legal issue of the conflicting duress rules among the circuit courts. Id. In this case, the defendant reacted violently to his diabetes treatment and this was held to be an external cause, not a disease of the mind. If a defendant is involuntarily intoxicated (i.e. In Bolduc v Bird (1967) a medical assistant turned out not to be qualified, but this did not alter the nature and quality of the act. Id. In Mobilio (1991) a doctor was performing a medical examination for sexual gratification as opposed to medical reasons, but the nature and quality of the act remained the same. The distinction is as follows: if the defendant doesnt know they will make him intoxicated, it is deemed to be involuntary intoxication. Any evidence of self-defence must still be left to a jury as held in DPP v Bailey (1995), but if the issue of self-defence is merely a fanciful and speculative matter then the judge will withdraw it from the jury, as was seen in Johnson (1994). Applying R v Graham, . If the ordinary man would have been able to resist the threat, it is very unlikely that the defendant will be able to rely on duress as a defence. itself as held in Bradshaw (1878) and Moore (1898). In Tabassum (2000) the defendants convictions for indecent assault were upheld because the women were consenting for medical purposes, meaning that they had been deceived as to the quality of the act. A drunken intent is nevertheless an intent., C N t C i i l L P bli h d b H dd Ed ti Li Ch k k 2012. violence unexpectedly, he may be able to use duress as a defence to his crime. at 22-23. reasonably regard himself as responsible [will suffice as well as immediate family].. General guidance (PDF, Size: 409KB) Controversially in Burgess (1991), the defendant attacked his friend during a sleepwalking episode. . In her defense, Dixon raised the affirmative defense of duress, which exonerates a defendant of guilt for certain crimes if he or she can show that coerced into committing the crime under the threat of immediate harm. Second, in most cases involving a duress defense, the government will be unable to call as a witness the person most likely to have information about the events leading to the claim, the person alleged to have coerced the defendant into committing the illegal act. The lords are driven by issues of public interest when deciding extremely violent insufficient as held in Singh (1974) and the defence of duress draws a clear line view supplies the evidence of mens rea, of guilty mind certainly sufficient for crimes For the law to understand not only how the timid but also the stalwart may in a moment of crisis behave is not to make the law weak but to make it just.. The mistake of fact must, of course, be honestly made, and this was established in DPP v Morgan (1976) when Lord Hailsham said: Either the prosecution proves that [D] had the requisite intent, or it does not. subjective test the jury must put themselves in the defendants position. Majewski (1977) Lord Simon said: the public could be legally unprotected from unprovoked violence where such The held in DPP v Bailey (1995) and Cousins (1982). duress problem question University National University of Ireland Maynooth Module The Law Of Evidence (LW294) 21 Documents Academic year:2017/2018 Helpful? met. The spread of disease was a particular concern for the Lords, although following Dica Jury. If the defendant in Hardie had known of the effect of valium upon him, his act of taking the drug would have therefore been voluntary intoxication and it would have satisfied the mens rea of recklessness for criminal damage. The reason for this very high criminal threshold is that sport already has disciplinary procedures in place. Id. The condition of the brain is irrelevant and so is the question whether the condition is curable or incurable, transitory or permanent.. timid but also the stalwart may in a moment of crisis behave is not to make the law In Sharp (1987) Lord Lane CJ supported this by saying: where a person has voluntarily, and with knowledge of its nature, joined a criminal According to Burns (1974), taking morphine to calm a health complaint will be deemed to be involuntary intoxication as long as the defendant did not appreciate the effect it would have. While duress is not a justification for committing a crime, it can serve as an excuse when a defendant committed a crime because they were facing the threat or use of physical force. This was held in Horseferry Road Magistrates Court ex parte K (1996). The defendant needs to present evidence that they had no other way to escape the threat. A passenger in a car can be at 23. Defences can and will take time to get your head around. First, the defendant will likely have more access to information supporting the duress defense. He decides to break into Susies house that night and steal the necklace. A ruling in favor of the United States would thus result in an inflexible and strict rule which might in practice restrict defendants constitutional right to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It is irrelevant.. In the view of the NACDL and NCDBW, the flexibility of these different burdens of proof are vulnerable to abuse by the prosecution if the prosecutors choose to charge defendants with crimes which courts decide only allow an excuse duress defense. Generals Reference (No. This was confirmed in Shepherd (1987), where Mustill LJ said: The logic which appears to underlie the law of duress would suggest that if trouble did unexpectedly materialise and if it put the defendant into a dilemma in which a reasonable man might have chosen to act as he did, the concession to human frailty should not be denied to him.. If he does not, his defence of duress may The issue before the Court is whether a criminal defendant raising an affirmative defense of duress must bear the burden of persuasion and prove duress by a preponderance of the evidence, or, once the defendant has raised the defense, whether the government must bear the burden and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that duress did not exist. Insanity is a medical condition, but it has also been given a legal definition through defendant may defend himself or another. If, however, a defendant joins a non-violent gang and finds himself threatened with violence unexpectedly, he may be able to use duress as a defence to his crime. Any force used must be necessary from the defendants perspective, and it does not matter that the defendant was mistaken as to the necessity. Ultimately, Dixon argues that the majority of federal and state courts have followed Davis and have shifted the burden of persuasion to the government to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that duress did not exist. Simply because an alcoholic drink has a stronger effect than expected does not mean that the defendant was involuntarily intoxicated as held in Allen (1988). The defence is not available to a person charged with murder as a principal or as an aider, abettor, counsellor or procurer: R v Howe [1987] A.C. 417. Threats to expose a secret sexual orientation are also to apply, as seen in Walton (1978). immediately or almost immediately as in Hasan (2005). Under Bailey, even if she committed the illegal acts under threat of force, that would not change her knowledge of the facts. (2009). intent crimes. and ear-piercing. This rule is a common law rule that stated that a person could not be prosecuted for homicide unless the victim died within a year and a day of the act that was responsible for the fatal injury. In addition to the historical development of the duress defense, the government argues that developments under modern federal law suggest that the burden should remain with the defendant. for his own protection.. Sometimes courts combine these defenses, but technically they are separate. Id. In Lynch v DPP of Northern Ireland (1975) Lord Morris said: It is proper that any rational system of law should take fully into account the standards of honest and reasonable men. The burden of proving lack of consent rests with the prosecution as was established in Donovan (1934): (3) the consent must be fully informed (i.e. Dixon further alleges that she was the victim of a continual pattern of abuse, including four or five beatings administered on the week of the gun purchases, although she admitted that she had never sought help. Intoxication is therefore a defence to crimes requiring intent (i. the victim knows all the facts); and. Duress is generally not a defense to murder, but a few states may reduce the crime to manslaughter. This case also established that a jury Id. If a defendant becomes involuntarily intoxicated on harmless sleeping pills, evidence must still be provided to prove that he did not form his own mens rea OConnell (1997). at 21-22. Thanks Seth, when I lay out the motion state the fact "my former attorney lied about submitting my witnesses statements and my physician's medical note states illness of anxiety. In addition, duress requires the defendant to show that they had no alternative to committing the crime. It is not unheard of for a defendant to expose himself to a dangerous situation where he may find himself threatened. for Petr at 11. The defence of intoxication is applicable to all crimes with a mens rea. Community life allows for implied consent (i. in situations of horseplay). It follows that if a defendant chooses to mix with very bad company then he should foresee the risk of being threatened. Everything you need to know to answer this question has been discussed already so refer back to the notes to help you as you go. If the mens rea required is intention alone , then Third, placing the burden on the defendant will prevent false or frivolous affirmative defenses such as duress. Ok. These discretionary The following problem question is designed to test your knowledge of the defence of duress and give you an opportunity to try and apply the elements of the defence in a practical context in response to an offence committed. In Ali (2008) Dyson J said: The core question is whether D voluntarily put himself in the position in which he foresaw or ought reasonably to have foreseen the risk of being subjected to any compulsion by threats of violence.. high risk of injury, and the list includes: sports, surgery, ritual circumcision, tattooing Common Law v MPC. The judgment held of Morgan was applied to indecent assault in Kimber (1983), but Skip to document. sexual gratification cases. A malfunctioning of the mind caused by the application to the body of some external factor such as violence, drugs, including anaesthetics, alcohol and hypnotic influences cannot fairly be said to be due to disease.. Duress refers to a situation where one person makes unlawful threats or otherwise engages in coercive behavior that causes another person to commit acts that they would otherwise not commit.. Two registered medical practitioners must provide evidence that the defendant meets the legal definition of insanity. condemn him, coupled with the act which he intended to do and did do.. There will be too many different standards for the jury to remember if the Court places the burden on the defendant, as the defendant will have to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that duress did exist, while the government will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant met all the elements of the offense. In Majewski (1977) Lord Simon said: the public could be legally unprotected from unprovoked violence where such violence was the consequence of drink or drugs having obliterated the capacity of the perpetrator to know what he was doing or what were its consequences., When a defendant raises intoxication as a defence, the onus is on him to prove that his capacity to form a mens rea was non-existent as held in Sheehan (1975): The mere fact that the defendants mind was affected by drink so that he acted in a way in which he would not have done had he been sober does not assist him at all, provided that the necessary intention was there. Homeless people are also 11 times more likely . If, however, the defendant knows that they will have an intoxicating effect on him, he is voluntarily intoxicated. There is a presumption of sanity in law, and as a result of this presumption, it is for the defence to prove insanity, but only on a balance of probabilities. A person may still arm himself . United States v. Dixon, 5th Cir. 10 Report Document Comments Please sign inor registerto post comments. In Brown (1994) a line of consent was drawn between battery and actual bodily harm. judgment, confusion or forgetfulness. If the judge decides that there is evidence of insanity, he leaves it to the jury to apply, as seen in Walton (1978). was also directly applied in Emmett (1999) to a heterosexual couple engaging in sado- The problems in this book are not keyed to any one body of criminal law such as Federal law, the Model Penal Code or any one or more particular states. order); a supervision order; or an order for his absolute discharge. During treatment, V suffered respiratory issues. defence to assault and battery but nothing beyond that, unless it was a qualified legal conclude that the defence was not open.. At trial, Dixon was charged with lying to buy a firearm and receiving guns while under indictment (for a separate, prior charge). Brown listed lawful exceptions to the rule, where consent is allowed despite a high risk of injury, and the list includes: sports, surgery, ritual circumcision, tattooing and ear-piercing. CA: medical treatment was NA. (2) the act of getting drunk will, however, constitute a mens rea of recklessness (i. curable or incurable, transitory or permanent.. said: If a man, whilst sane and sober, forms an intention to kill and makes preparation for General defences. sadists and the degradation of victims. However, he is arguing that he was threatened into committing the crime. was confirmed in Shepherd (1987), where Mustill LJ said: The logic which appears to underlie the law of duress would suggest that if trouble case law, and it is the legal definition that is applied in law. The purpose of the defence of insanity has been to protect society against recurrence of the dangerous conduct, particularly, as in this case, it is recurrent. The victim must be able to understand the act consented to, as held in Burrell v Harmer (1967). As a result of Gallagher , Dutch courage is not a defence to specific intent or basic Id. as confirmed by Hudson and Taylor (1971). intoxication can provide a defence because recklessness might be easy to show but This means that it is active at the time of the actus reus of the offence. The threat made towards the defendant must be operative when the offence is committed. In addition to the historical development of the duress defense, the government argues that developments under modern federal law suggest that the burden should remain with the defendant. The government also distinguishes the insanity defense involved in Davis from the duress defense asserted by Dixon. Ask an Expert. at 26-27. This will have to be proved on the balance of probabilities by Jim as, whenever a legal burden is . In Shannon (1980) a conviction for murder was quashed when the trial judge failed to remind the jury to consider the defendants point of view. He starts going to the casino and one night he loses massively at poker and ends up owing a lot of money to another player. Criminal Law Thursday 01 December. nt noel10 months ago very very good Students also viewed Estate ownership and management in nineteenth and early twentieth The mistake of fact must, of course, be honestly made, and this was Definition of Duress Noun Compulsion or coercion, by threat or force. offence and was an active member when he was put under such pressure, he cannot The defendant is convicted but the sentence he would have received is halved due to duress correct incorrect. It is not necessary to seek police protection if this is not possible at the material time, as confirmed by Hudson and Taylor (1971). This was confirmed in defence to reckless driving as in Renouf (1986) and a defence to dangerous driving as in situations of horseplay). Even if the defendant is very young (e.g. Two registered medical practitioners must provide Answering Questions in Criminal Law (Problem questions) Problem questions are designed to test the student's ability to: Identify legal issues relevant to the problem; Digest and understand legal sources and their relevance to the problem; Determine how these legal principles can apply to the problem at hand; Explain in clear terms what the 'solution' to the problem may be, taking into . This means that the judge and jury will evaluate the evidence according to an objective standard. Comments Please or to post comments. An assault during sex will be prosecuted despite consent if the harm is intended to cause more than transient or trifling injury as held in Boyea (1992). Take a look at the following scenario and identify any material facts as you read. In Whyte (1987), Lord Lane CJ commented that it was necessary and desirable for the jury to consider the defendants point of view. Some general guidance for tackling a criminal law problem question. 1. It is not unheard of for a defendant to expose himself to a dangerous situation where In McCord v. Goode, 308 S.W.3d 409, the court defined duress as "unlawful conduct or a threat of unlawful conduct of such a character as to destroy the other party's exercise of free will and judgment . Self-defence is a full defence in criminal law to many crimes including murder, and a defendant may defend himself or another. The judge will need to decide whether a jury instruction on duress is appropriate. (2005) at 10. (2) the reasonableness of the mistake is used irrelevant. Dealing with the problem question of Defence in Criminal Law criminal law duress and necessity (defence) answer structure for pq take look at the following. The Common Law has always been somewhat receptive to pleas of duress as an excuse to breaking the criminal law. the defence which is withheld from a murderer.. However, insanity is not available to strict liability crimes (i.e. for Petr at 7-8. Id. Finally, requiring the government to prove that duress existed places presents high social costs, as the reasonable doubt standard would overprotect defendants while jeopardizing important interests in punishing those who violate the law. In Hudson and Taylor (1971) it was established that the threatened injury need not follow instantly but perhaps after an interval. Branding a In Dixons case, the mens rea requirement of the offense required that she acted knowingly, meaning that she had knowledge of the facts that constituted the offense. This is a If the belief was in fact held, its unreasonableness, so far as Tutorial 7. is ordinarily used, the mental faculties of reason, memory and understanding. This threat must include immediate serious injury or death to himself or others in Hudson and Taylor (1971). or trifling injury as held in Boyea (1992). If a defendant intentionally becomes intoxicated in order to commit a crime, this is known as Dutch courage and he is deemed to have the intention to commit that crime. capacity to form a mens rea was non-existent as held in Sheehan (1975): The mere 1. at 31. Criminal Law Exam (elaborations) Criminal Law - Problem Question Notes Set Module Criminal Law Institution London School Of Economics (LSE) Notes have been formatted to model the structure of an answer to a problem question on the relevant topic. naperville fire department eligibility list, blenheim district court, i am available anytime after 3pm,
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