Criminal procedure: defenses; duress as a defense to murder of the second degree; prohibit. Amends sec. 317 of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.317).

HB 5155 amends Michigan's penal code to remove duress as a defense for second-degree murder charges. Specifically, it changes section 317 to explicitly state that being forced to commit a crime (duress) cannot be used to defend against second-degree murder prosecutions. This directly affects defendants accused of second-degree murder who might otherwise claim they were coerced into committing the act. The bill makes no changes to the punishment for second-degree murder, which remains life imprisonment or any term of years at the court's discretion.