Learning Objectives

After you have read this chapter:

1. You will be able to articulate the public policy reasons for recognizing defenses.
2. You will understand how defenses are raised before and at trial.
3. You will appreciate the defenses based on excuse and variations of the mens rea–based defenses, such as infancy and insanity.
4. You will successfully distinguish defenses based on justification.
5. You will be able to identify the differences between self-defense, battered woman syndrome, and defense of others and property.