§ 791 — Acts constituting coercion; class A misdemeanor

A person is guilty of coercion when the person compels or induces a person to engage in conduct which the victim has a legal right to abstain from engaging in, or to abstain from engaging in conduct in which the victim has a legal right to engage, by means of instilling in the victim a fear that, if the demand is not complied with, the defendant or another will:

(1) Cause physical injury to a person; or

(2) Cause damage to property; or

(3) Engage in other conduct constituting a crime; or

(4) Accuse some person of a crime or cause criminal charges to be instituted against a person; or

(5) Expose a secret or publicize an asserted fact, whether true or false, tending to subject some person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; or

(6) Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to another’s legal claim or defense; or

(7) Use or abuse the defendant’s position as a public servant by performing some act within or related to the defendant’s official duties, or by failing or refusing to perform an official duty in such manner as to affect some person adversely; or

(8) Perform any other act which is calculated to harm another person materially with respect to that person’s health, safety, business, calling, career, financial condition, reputation or personal relationships.

Coercion is a class A misdemeanor.

Legislative History

11 Del. C. 1953, § 791; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1 ; 67 Del. Laws, c. 130, § 8 ; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1