RS 14:18 Justification; general provisions - Louisiana Statutes

§18.  Justification; general provisions

The fact that an offender's conduct is justifiable, although otherwise criminal, shall constitute a defense to prosecution for any crime based on that conduct.  This defense of justification can be claimed under the following circumstances:

(1)  When the offender's conduct is an apparently authorized and reasonable fulfillment of any duties of public office; or

(2)  When the offender's conduct is a reasonable accomplishment of an arrest which is lawful under the Code of Criminal Procedure; or

(3)  When for any reason the offender's conduct is authorized by law; or

(4)  When the offender's conduct is reasonable discipline of minors by their parents, tutors or teachers; or

(5)  When the crime consists of a failure to perform an affirmative duty and the failure to perform is caused by physical impossibility; or

(6)  When any crime, except murder, is committed through the compulsion of threats by another of death or great bodily harm, and the offender reasonably believes the person making the threats is present and would immediately carry out the threats if the crime were not committed; or

(7)  When the offender's conduct is in defense of persons or of property under any of the circumstances described in Articles 19 through 22.