NPR reported this morning on a case in Tennessee where:
Prosecutors charged Bradley Waldroup with the felon murder of his wife?s friend, which carries the death penalty, and attempted first-degree murder of his wife. It seemed clear to them that Waldroup’s actions were intentional and premeditated. There were numerous things he did around the crime scene that were conscious choices. One of them was [that] he told his children to ?come tell your mama goodbye,? because he was going to kill her. And he had the gun, and he had the machete.
His defense?
“His genetic makeup, combined with his history of child abuse, together created a vulnerability that he would be a violent adult.? Bernet, Waldroup?s attorney explained.
Over the fierce opposition of prosecutors, the judge allowed Bernet to testify in court that these two factors help explain why Waldroup snapped that murderous night.
As the jury reached a decision, the genetic evidence apparently played apart in the outcome for Waldroup. The jurors concluded that his actions were not premeditated and agreed with the defense argument that Waldroup just exploded.
One Jurer commented after the trial that, the science helped persuade her that Waldroup was not entirely in control of his actions.
