A SANTA CRUZ MAN’S MURDER CONVICTION HAS BEEN OVERTURNED. ALTHOUGH THE 6TH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS DID NOT DISPUTE THAT ALEX CORTES STABBED TO DEATH A FORMER APTOS HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER IN JANUARY OF 2006, THEY RULED THAT A SANTA CRUZ JUDGE WRONGLY BLOCKED A DEFENSE-HIRED PSYCHIATRIC EXPERT FROM TESTIFYING ABOUT CORTES’ MOTIVES. THE EXPERT WOULD HAVE TOLD THE JURY THAT CORTES ACTED OUT OF FEAR AND NOT ANGER (DUE TO BEING BEATEN BY HIS MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND WHEN HE WAS A CHILD).
