Opinion ID: 589777
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Coercion Defense

Text: 17 Asuncion argues that the district court erred when it refused to instruct the jury on her coercion or duress defense. A defendant is entitled to an instruction on the defense of duress only where the defendant makes a prima facie showing of the elements constituting the defense. United States v. Jennell, 749 F.2d 1302, 1305 (9th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 837, 106 S.Ct. 114, 88 L.Ed.2d 93 (1985). Whether the defendant has made the requisite showing is a question of law to be reviewed de novo. United States v. Williams, 791 F.2d 1383, 1388 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 869, 107 S.Ct. 233, 93 L.Ed.2d 159 (1986). 18 The elements of a duress defense are: (1) an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury, (2) a well-grounded fear that the threat will be carried out, and (3) no reasonable opportunity to escape the threatened harm. Jennell, 749 F.2d at 1305. Underlying these elements is the implicit requirement that the defendant would not have engaged in the conduct were it not for the threat. United States v. Atencio, 586 F.2d 744, 746 (9th Cir.1978). 19 In this case, Asuncion voluntarily travelled to the Philippines and voluntarily agreed to bring the boxes back to the United States. The threats she alleges concerned what would happen if Asuncion said anything or told anyone about the transaction. Asuncion does not claim that she would not have imported the boxes were it not for the threats. Accordingly, the district court did not err in refusing to instruct the jury on the defense of duress.