Trujillo v. State (1998)

In Trujillo v. State, 953 P.2d 1182, 1187 (Wyo. 1998), the Court held there was no plain error in admission of expert testimony on battered woman's syndrome to explain the victim's behavior. There, Trujillo argued that battered woman's syndrome testimony, which is referenced in Wyo. Stat. Ann. 6-1-203 and, pursuant to that statute, defined by the DSM III-R, should only be used when a defendant presents that testimony as a portion of her self defense claim. Rejecting that assertion, the Court wrote that Wyo. Stat. Ann. 6-1-203 had no relevance "other than, perhaps, to underscore that Battered Woman Syndrome is sufficiently developed to be the basis for expert testimony." 953 P.2d at 1187.