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Name: People v. Chavez
Case #: B139931
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 2 DCA
Division: 3
Opinion Date: 05/31/2001
Subsequent History: Rev. granted 9/12/01 as S098775
Summary

(Editor’s note: Review granted) The exclusion of battered women’s syndrome (BWS) evidence was proper. Appellant’s statement to police clearly established her participation in the robbery/murder as an aider and abettor, as she drove the co-perpetrators to each robbery, knowing their purpose. No evidence of duress or BWS could have excused or minimized her intent. Therefore, exclusion was proper since the evidence was irrelevant to intent. Since appellant did not raise below the issue of the impact of the BWS evidence on her credibility, it could not be raised for the first time on appeal.