State v. Townsend

JUSTICE WALLACE, JR.

delivered the opinion of the Court.

Twenty years after the death of his girlfriend, defendant was indicted for her murder. At trial, the State presented expert testimony related to battered women and battered woman’s syndrome to convince the jury that the victim’s dying declaration exonerating defendant was not credible. The jury found defendant guilty of murder. On appeal, the Appellate Division reversed, finding error in the admission of testimony about battered women and battered woman’s syndrome and plain error in the trial court’s failure to give a limiting instruction…