Question

Rufus comes home to find his wife and three children missing. There is a note on the dining room table that reads “if you want to see your wife and children alive again, you must set fire to a subdivision of recently constructed but still unoccupied houses. Burn every one of them to the ground. Spare the life of no squatter.” Rufus does as the note requires and burns every home. A squatter sleeping in one of the homes is killed. What is the status of Rufus’ criminal liability?

a. Rufus has a defense to murder and arson

b. Rufus has no defense to either crime

c. Rufus has a defense to murder but not to arson

d. Rufus has a defense to arson but not to murder

Answer 1

a. Rufus has a defense to murder and arson.

Arson is the crime of willfully and maliciously setting fire to or charring property.Arson as a federal crime.Even though It is performed under pressure,It is treated as a crime.

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