Professor Shestowsky Comments on Murder Trial for KCRA

Professor Donna Shestowsky commented for a news report on KCRA-3 regarding the trial of Marco Antonio Topete, who is accused of killing a Yolo County Sheriff's deputy in 2008.  The trial has only recently begun, following a series of unusual delays, a factor which could affect the jurors' perceptions of the evidence, Professor Shestowsky said.

"Generally, memory starts fading from the moment an event occurs," she said.  "It could be, given the fact that three years have gone by, that the jury might not get the same sense of what actually transpired."

Donna Shestowsky, who has both a law degree and a PhD in Psychology, is a Professor at UC Davis School of Law, where she teaches Criminal Law, Negotiation Strategy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and a seminar in Legal Psychology.  She was the 2007 recipient of the Law School's Distinguished Teaching Award.

KCRA report