What legal defenses are typically used in criminal defense cases?

In criminal defense cases in Massachusetts, a few legal defenses are commonly used. The most widely used defense is self-defense. This means that the defendant had a reasonable belief that they were in danger of being harmed and responded with a level of force that was required to protect themselves. Another legal defense is insanity. This defense argues that the defendant was not responsible for their actions due to a mental illness. The defendant must show that they did not understand the wrongfulness of their actions due to their mental illness. A third type of defense is alibi. An alibi is when the defendant can reasonably prove that they were not at the scene of the crime when it was committed. This defense requires evidence that the defendant was elsewhere when the crime was committed. The fourth legal defense is entrapment. Entrapment occurs when a law enforcement officer induces a person to commit a crime they would otherwise not commit. In order to successfully prove entrapment, the defendant must show that they were not predisposed to commit the crime before being induced by the law enforcement officer. Finally, duress is a legal defense. This claims that the defendant was forced to commit the crime due to a threat of harm directed at themselves or someone else. The defendant must show that the threat of harm was real and that they had no other option than to commit the crime.

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