For example, Mrs. Turner was visiting her husband in prison. She was found with drugs and charged with possession of contraband. She successfully used the defense of duress when she showed that a person approached her about carrying marijuana into prison and told her that if she refused her husband would be hurt. He additionally told her that her husband had been deliberately hurt in a basketball game in prison and that he had friends in the wing in which her husband was held. He said that these friends had intimidated Mrs. Turner before and, two days after Mrs. Turner was arrested, a fire was discovered on her porch along with a threatening note.
Infancy is a defense for persons younger than eight.
They are not legally capable of committing a crime in Washington. Persons between 8 and 12 are presumed incapable of committing a crime. However, if the prosecution can show that the person had the ability to know right from wrong, the 8 to 12-year old may be found to have committed an offense. The defendant must establish the insanity defense by a preponderance of the evidence. Diminished capacity requires that a defendant's mental condition lacks the ability to possess the necessary level of culpability to commit the crime charged.