What is required for an affirmative defense under duress according to Section 8.05?

An affirmative defense under duress, according to Section 8.05, requires compulsion by threat or force. This means that for a defendant to claim duress, they must demonstrate that their actions were entirely compelled by a genuine threat of harm or actual force. The legal standard emphasizes that the coercion must be such that a reasonable person would have acted similarly under the same circumstances—essentially, the individual had no reasonable alternative but to comply with the threat.

The requirement for compulsion is a critical element of the duress defense because it establishes the context in which the defendant found themselves, highlighting that their conduct was not based on free will but rather an urgent response to immediate danger. This principle is rooted in the understanding that individuals should not be penalized for actions taken under extreme pressure where they were unable to resist due to fear for their safety or the safety of others.

In the scope of this matter, the other options do not align with the fundamental definitions and requirements for establishing an affirmative defense of duress. For instance, while the nature of the offense (A) might be relevant in other contexts, it is not a prerequisite for the duress defense. Similarly, having a witness (C) or being ignorant of the law (