Opinion ID: 2508525
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Duress and Malice

Text: Penal Code section 26 declares duress to be a perfect defense against criminal charges when the person charged committed the act or made the omission charged under threats or menaces sufficient to show that they had reasonable cause to and did believe their lives would be endangered if they refused. That section also provides that this defense does not apply to crimes punishable with death. We recently rejected the argument that duress could negate the elements of malice or premeditation, thereby reducing a first degree murder to manslaughter or second degree murder. ( People v. Anderson (2002) 28 Cal.4th 767, 781-784, 122 Cal.Rptr.2d 587, 50 P.3d 368.) We decline defendant's invitation to reconsider the holding in Anderson. Moreover, because duress cannot, as a matter of law, negate the intent, malice or premeditation elements of a first degree murder, we further reject defendant's argument that duress could negate the requisite intent for one charged with aiding and abetting a first degree murder. (See Anderson, supra, 28 Cal.4th at p. 784, 122 Cal.Rptr.2d 587, 50 P.3d 368.)