United States v. LaFleur

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

971 F.2d 200 (1991)

Relevant factsFree

Larry LaFleur and Nick Holm (defendants) forced 82-year-old Otto Bloomquist into his own car in a mall parking lot, drove him to a remote area, and shot and killed him. After their arrest, each defendant claimed he shot Bloomquist only because he feared what the other would do to him if he refused. Holm pled guilty to premeditated murder. The district court refused LaFleur's request for a jury instruction on duress as a defense to murder, and he appealed.

IssueFree

Whether duress is a valid defense to first-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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