9A.56.130 - Extortion in the second degree. - Washington Statutes

Extortion in the second degree.

(1) A person is guilty of extortion in the second degree if he or she commits extortion by means of a wrongful threat as defined in *RCW 9A.04.110(25) (d) through (j).

     (2) In any prosecution under this section based on a threat to accuse any person of a crime or cause criminal charges to be instituted against any person, it is a defense that the actor reasonably believed the threatened criminal charge to be true and that his or her sole purpose was to compel or induce the person threatened to take reasonable action to make good the wrong which was the subject of such threatened criminal charge.

     (3) Extortion in the second degree is a class C felony.

[2002 c 47 § 2; 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 § 9A.56.130.]

Notes: *Reviser's note: RCW 9A.04.110 was amended by 2005 c 458 § 3, changing subsection (25) to subsection (26); and was subsequently amended by 2007 c 79 § 3, changing subsection (26) to subsection (27).

Intent -- 2002 c 47: "The legislature intends to revise the crime of extortion in the second degree in response to the holding in State v. Pauling, 108 Wn. App. 445 (2001), by adding a requirement that the threat required for conviction of the offense be wrongful." [2002 c 47 § 1.]