Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) Practice Exam

Defense of reasonable mistake of fact can be defined as?

1. The accused knowingly commits a crime

2. The accused was coerced to commit the crime

3. The accused makes an honest error in believing certain facts to be true

4. The accused fabricated evidence

The correct answer is: The accused makes an honest error in believing certain facts to be true

Defense of reasonable mistake of fact can be defined as the situation where the accused makes an honest error in believing certain facts to be true. This defense indicates that the accused did not have knowledge of all the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime and genuinely believed that their actions were lawful based on the information they had. It is an important aspect of criminal law because it recognizes that individuals should not be held criminally liable for actions taken under a genuine mistake of fact. Option A is incorrect because it implies that the accused knowingly commits a crime, which is not the case for the defense of reasonable mistake of fact. Option B is incorrect as it refers to the accused being coerced to commit the crime, which falls under the defense of duress, not the defense of reasonable mistake of fact. Option D is also incorrect as it suggests that the accused fabricated evidence, which is a different legal issue unrelated to a mistake of fact defense.