Dawson v. State

OPINION

By the Court,

Zenoff, J.:

Ella Mae Dawson was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole for the shooting and killing of her former husband, Sam Dawson. One ground upon which she seeks to reverse her conviction is the refusal of the trial court to allow a psychiatrist appearing as an expert witness to testify whether or not Ella Mae had the requisite malice, intent, deliberation and premeditation to commit murder.

The question put to Dr. O’Gorman contained all of the facts in evidence before the jury. In short, it related to the turbulent marriage…