What is the affirmative defense called when the actor is compelled to commit a crime due to a threat of imminent death?

The correct answer, duress, refers to a situation in which a person is forced to commit a crime due to an imminent threat of serious harm or death. In the context of criminal law, this defense acknowledges that the individual had no reasonable choice but to act in a way that violated the law because of the overwhelming pressure exerted by another party. The threat must be immediate and severe enough that a reasonable person would not have been able to resist acting against their will.

Duress is essential because it recognizes that under certain coercive circumstances, individuals may lack the capacity to make free and rational choices, thus providing a legal basis for them not to be fully responsible for their actions. It is a key concept in understanding how external factors can influence human behavior and the legal repercussions of those actions.

The other options (entrapment, insanity, and intoxication) represent different legal defenses. Entrapment involves law enforcement inducing a person to commit a crime they would not have otherwise engaged in. Insanity refers to a mental health condition that impairs a person's ability to understand the nature of their actions or distinguish between right and wrong at the time of the crime. Intoxication can be a defense in some circumstances, usually arguing a lack of intent,