K.S.A. » Chapter 21
Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 21-5206 (2026)

Compulsion

✓ current as of May 2026
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21-5206. Compulsion. (a) A person is not guilty of a crime other than murder or voluntary manslaughter by reason of conduct which such person performs under the compulsion or threat of the imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, if such person reasonably believes that death or great bodily harm will be inflicted upon such person or upon such person's spouse, parent, child, brother or sister if such person does not perform such conduct.

(b) The defense provided by this section is not available to a person who intentionally or recklessly places such person's self in a situation in which such person will be subjected to compulsion or threat.

History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 17; July 1, 2011.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 2012–2025 · leading case: State v. Dupree, 373 P.3d 811 (Kan. 2016).
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State v. Dupree, 373 P.3d 811 (Kan. 2016). · cites it 3× “Considering tírese requirements, a district court must evaluate whether a rational juror could conclude that the defendant reasonably believed he or she was in danger of death or great bodily harm, see K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-5206, and whether coercion induced a ■well-grounded…”
State v. Hutto, 490 P.3d 43 (Kan. 2021). “K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-5206(a) sets out the requirements for asserting a compulsion defense: "A person is not guilty of a crime other than murder or voluntary manslaughter by reason of conduct which such person performs under the compulsion or threat of the imminent infliction of…”
Commonwealth v. Vasquez, 971 N.E.2d 783 (Mass. 2012). “10 (West 2003); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-5206 (Supp. 2011); Ky.”
Mashaney v. Bd. of Indigents' Def. Servs., 313 P.3d 64 (Kan. Ct. App. 2013). “For example, criminal defendants should be found not guilty if they act under compulsion—they commit crimes only because they face immediate and real threats of death or great bodily harm if they don’t.”
State v. Evans, 360 P.3d 1086 (Kan. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 21-5205 (intoxication); K.”
State v. Lamb, 458 P.3d 266 (Kan. Ct. App. 2020). “" K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5206. To present a compulsion defense, just like any other defense, there must be evidence to support it.”
State v. Vandevelde (Kan. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 3× “Unlike the necessity defense, the compulsion defense is codified in K.S.A. 21-5206(a). It states: "A person is not guilty of a crime other than murder or voluntary manslaughter by reason of conduct which such person performs under the compulsion or threat of the imminent…”
State v. Rosebud (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 2× “See K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-5206(a). The statement simply does not imply any threat of violence that is required for a compulsion defense.”
State v. Ross (Kan. Ct. App. 2025). “21-5222, and compulsion, K.S.A. 21-5206, supplanting their common-law counterparts.”
— K.S.A. § 21-5206(a) — 5 cases
State v. Hutto, 490 P.3d 43 (Kan. 2021). “K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-5206(a) sets out the requirements for asserting a compulsion defense: "A person is not guilty of a crime other than murder or voluntary manslaughter by reason of conduct which such person performs under the compulsion or threat of the imminent infliction of…”
State v. Dupree, 373 P.3d 811 (Kan. 2016). “Considering tírese requirements, a district court must evaluate whether a rational juror could conclude that the defendant reasonably believed he or she was in danger of death or great bodily harm, see K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-5206, and whether coercion induced a ■well-grounded…”
Mashaney v. Bd. of Indigents' Def. Servs., 313 P.3d 64 (Kan. Ct. App. 2013). “For example, criminal defendants should be found not guilty if they act under compulsion—they commit crimes only because they face immediate and real threats of death or great bodily harm if they don’t.”
State v. Vandevelde (Kan. Ct. App. 2024). “Unlike the necessity defense, the compulsion defense is codified in K.S.A. 21-5206(a). It states: "A person is not guilty of a crime other than murder or voluntary manslaughter by reason of conduct which such person performs under the compulsion or threat of the imminent…”
State v. Rosebud (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). “See K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-5206(a). The statement simply does not imply any threat of violence that is required for a compulsion defense.”
— K.S.A. § 21-5206(b) — 1 case
State v. Dupree, 373 P.3d 811 (Kan. 2016). “Considering tírese requirements, a district court must evaluate whether a rational juror could conclude that the defendant reasonably believed he or she was in danger of death or great bodily harm, see K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-5206, and whether coercion induced a ■well-grounded…”
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