People v. Sepe

OPINION OF THE COURT

Cohen, J.

During the early morning hours of March 22, 2008, the defendant beat his girlfriend to death with a baseball bat inside the home they shared in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. At trial, the defendant relied on the affirmative defense of extreme emotional disturbance, presenting evidence that he had a long history of psychiatric illness, and that in the months leading up to the homicide, his mental state deteriorated as his once successful business faced financial setbacks, and anxiety kept him from sleep. The defendant was also experiencing a great deal of *77stress over…