# Shannon v. United States, 76 F.2d 490 (10th Cir. 1935)

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/courtlistener-shannon-v-us-76-f2d-490/

The Tenth Circuit's affirmance of the convictions of R. G. Shannon and Ora L. Shannon in the Urschel kidnaping. It recites how Urschel was held at the Shannon property and rejects the defense of coercion.

The Tenth Circuit decided the two Shannon appeals together on March 22, 1935. The opinion recites that Kelly and Bates kidnaped Urschel at his residence in Oklahoma City on a Saturday night and reached the Shannon residence with him on Sunday afternoon; that he was kept blindfolded and guarded; and that he was then moved to the residence of Armon Shannon, about three-fourths of a mile away, where he was chained and handcuffed until after the ransom was paid.

The appellants asked for instructions that they should be acquitted "if they acted under coercion." The court held: "One who has full opportunity to avoid the act without danger of that kind cannot invoke the doctrine of coercion and is not entitled to an instruction submitting that question to the jury." The convictions were affirmed. Ora L. Shannon was Kathryn Kelly's mother.

## Sources

- CourtListener: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1564547/shannon-v-united-states/