People v. Brown

Opinion

KENNARD, J.

At defendant’s trial on charges relating to domestic violence, the prosecution offered testimony from an expert witness to explain that domestic violence1 victims often later deny or minimize the assailant’s conduct. Defendant objected. He contended such testimony did not fall within the scope of Evidence Code section 1107,2 which authorizes expert testimony on “battered women’s syndrome.” He argued the prosecution had failed to show that the victim here was a battered woman because it offered no proof that defendant had abused her on more than one occasion. The trial court…