State v. Mannering

The issue in this case is whether a criminal defendant may raise the defense of duress to a charge of attempted murder. By statute, duress is not a defense to murder. However, the duress statute is silent as to whether it applies to attempted murder. The trial court and the Court of Appeals determined that the defense of duress is not available for attempted murder. We agree.

I. FACTS

Christina Mannering and Bill Ulery were in a romantic relationship. Ulery was a defendant in a domestic violence case in which Victorina Allie, his former girl friend, was the victim. Ulery told Mannering he…