Anguish v. State
Texas Court of Appeals for the First District
991 S.W.2d 883 (1999)
- Written by Sara Rhee, JD
Facts
Gaylord William Anguish (defendant) drove a stolen van to a bank’s drive-through window and threatened to blow up the bank. The bank teller gave Anguish $15,000 from her drawer. Anguish was apprehended and charged with robbery and theft of an automobile. At trial, Anguish sought to establish a duress defense. Anguish alleged that he had learned of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent’s extramarital affair. After Anguish confronted the FBI agent, Anguish’s home was burglarized, and he began receiving threatening phone calls. Although Anguish reported these incidents, law enforcement did not assist him. Four days prior to the bank robbery, two men threatened to harm Anguish and his family unless he robbed a bank. Anguish believed that these threats were related to his discovery of the FBI agent’s affair. Anguish also thought that reporting the threats would be futile given law enforcement’s previous inaction. A jury found Anguish guilty as charged. Anguish appealed, arguing that the trial court improperly excluded evidence related to his duress defense.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Taft, J.)
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