STATEMENTS MADE UNDER “DURESS” From a legal perspective, “duress” occurs when unlawful pressure is exerted upon a person to coerce them to say or do something they wouldn’t otherwise say or do. I was careful to encourage Charley to tell the truth, rather than coerce her with a threat. The earliest Christians were treated very differently, however. Many were forced—under threat of violence—to recant their faith in Jesus and worship the Roman gods. In criminal trials, statements given under duress are inadmissible.
