EXPERT EVIDENCE PERTAINING TO BATTERED WOMEN - THE IMPACT OF GENDER OF EXPERT AND TIMING OF TESTIMONY

The present study investigated the impact of two variables relating to general expert testimony pertaining to battered women on juror decisi on processes. Specifically, the gender of the expert, as well as the t iming of the presentation of the testimony, were investigated in a sim ulated homicide trial involving a battered woman who had killed her ab user. Results indicated that when the expert was female and the testim ony was presented prior to the defendant's testimony, jurors' verdicts were more lenient. Moreover across a range of case judgments, male ju rors' perceptions were more favorable to the defendant when the expert was female as opposed to male. On two of the judgments this latter pa ttern of results was only evidenced when the testimony was presented e arly as opposed to late. The significance of these findings is discuss ed.