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Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/7-11 (2026)

Compulsion

✓ current as of May 2026
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(720 ILCS 5/7-11) (from Ch. 38, par. 7-11)
    Sec. 7-11. Compulsion.
    (a) A person is not guilty of an offense, other than an offense punishable with death, by reason of conduct that he or she performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, if he or she reasonably believes death or great bodily harm will be inflicted upon him or her, or upon his or her spouse or child, if he or she does not perform that conduct.
    (b) A married woman is not entitled, by reason of the presence of her husband, to any presumption of compulsion or to any defense of compulsion, except that stated in subsection (a).
(Source: P.A. 96-710, eff. 1-1-10.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 28 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1997–2025 · leading case: People v. Valladeres, 2013 IL App (1st) 112010 (Ill. App. Ct. 2013).
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People v. Valladeres, 2013 IL App (1st) 112010 (Ill. App. Ct. 2013). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2010). Valladares’s defense theory was that he provided the gun to Gatica out of compulsion that he would be severely beaten.”
United States v. Philip Fiore, Also Known as Pete, & Louis J. Bombacino, Also Known as John Lordo, Also Known as Louie, 178 F.3d 917 (7th Cir. 1999). “We agree with the district court that Fiore failed to present evidence to support a coercion defense.”
People v. Jackson, 2016 IL App (1st) 133823 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 2× “¶ 40 Section 7-11(a) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2006)), which defines the affirmative defense of compulsion, provides: “A person is not guilty of an offense *** by reason of conduct which he performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the…”
People v. Jackson, 2016 IL App (1st) 133823 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 2× “1-13-3823 ¶ 40 Section 7-11(a) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2006)), which defines the affirmative defense of compulsion, provides: “A person is not guilty of an offense *** by reason of conduct which he performs under the compulsion of threat or menace…”
People v. Mrdjenovich, 2023 IL App (1st) 191699 (Ill. App. Ct. 2023). “2d 145, 156 (1980); see 720 ILCS 5/7-11 (West 2014)), and that none of the evidence on this general topic had any permissible purpose.”
People v. Collins, 2016 IL App (1st) 143422 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2010). To warrant an instruction on compulsion, defendant must present “some evidence” sufficient to raise an issue of fact for the jury and create reasonable doubt as to defendant’s guilt.”
People v. Williams, 2021 IL App (1st) 190239 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 2× “¶ 32 Compulsion is an affirmative defense whereby a person is not guilty of an offense “by reason of conduct that he or she performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, if he or she reasonably believes death or great…”
People v. Goods, 2016 IL App (1st) 140511 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2012). The court further noted that the statute had not been amended to explicitly include first degree murder, rather than “an offense punishable with death,” even though Illinois no longer recognized the death penalty, thus, requiring the court to…”
People v. Orasco, 2016 IL App (3d) 120633-B (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 2× “¶ 21 ANALYSIS ¶ 22 On appeal, defendant claims that trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to tender a jury instruction on the affirmative defense of compulsion (720 ILCS 5/7-11 (West 2008)). The State responds that a compulsion defense was not supported by the…”
People v. Nicholson, 701 N.E.2d 517 (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). “Compulsion is conduct performed under the threat of imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, which the person reasonably believes will be inflicted if the conduct is not performed.”
People v. Mosley, 702 N.E.2d 280 (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). “" 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 1994). Since the defendant, due to his age, was not subject to the death penalty, he contends that he should have been allowed to assert a compulsion defense.”
People v. Anderson, 951 N.E.2d 1181 (Ill. App. Ct. 2011). “Noting that, based on the evidence, it would be a "stretch" to include such an instruction, the trial court denied defense counsel's request. During deliberations, the jury sent a note to the court asking, "Suppose the defendant was threatened and forced to drive the car, is he…”
Show all 28 citing cases →
— 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) — 11 cases
People v. Valladeres, 2013 IL App (1st) 112010 (Ill. App. Ct. 2013). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2010). Valladares’s defense theory was that he provided the gun to Gatica out of compulsion that he would be severely beaten.”
People v. Jackson, 2016 IL App (1st) 133823 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “¶ 40 Section 7-11(a) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2006)), which defines the affirmative defense of compulsion, provides: “A person is not guilty of an offense *** by reason of conduct which he performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the…”
People v. Jackson, 2016 IL App (1st) 133823 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “1-13-3823 ¶ 40 Section 7-11(a) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2006)), which defines the affirmative defense of compulsion, provides: “A person is not guilty of an offense *** by reason of conduct which he performs under the compulsion of threat or menace…”
People v. Collins, 2016 IL App (1st) 143422 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-11(a) (West 2010). To warrant an instruction on compulsion, defendant must present “some evidence” sufficient to raise an issue of fact for the jury and create reasonable doubt as to defendant’s guilt.”
People v. Williams, 2021 IL App (1st) 190239 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “¶ 32 Compulsion is an affirmative defense whereby a person is not guilty of an offense “by reason of conduct that he or she performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, if he or she reasonably believes death or great…”
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