Proyecto de ley de California permitiría a víctimas de abuso usar trauma como defensa legal en casos de delitos violentos

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would let survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking cite that abuse as a legal defense against violent crime charges — with an exception for most murder cases — going further than current law, which only lets such evidence factor into sentencing. Per CalMatters, the measure would also let people already convicted ask a judge to vacate and seal those convictions, forgiving related fines. The bill has cleared public safety committees four years running only to be quietly killed each time by budget appropriations panels, though it's set for another hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee next month. Prosecutors and law enforcement oppose it, warning it could let violent offenders escape accountability and flood courts with petitions, while the ACLU and other advocates counter that almost no one convicted of a violent crime would actually qualify.

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