Expert Witness

Criminal Court Services

Dr. Heller provides psychological case analysis for attorneys, client assessments, research to evaluate and assist in a case, and expert witness testimony. He has provided continuing legal education for attorneys on the forensic psychological assessment of the Battered Women Defense and how this can explain violent behavior manifested in women who have been in relationships significant for intimate partner violence.

Dr. Heller's dissertation on Criminal Behavior and Arousal—as well as his experience evaluating defendants—has led to his presence being required as an expert in trial or for the purpose of performing evaluations of a defendant in a correctional facility, attorney's office, or one of our offices in New York or New Jersey. He also travels to evaluate incarcerated defendants in other states when presented with a judge's order or at the request of an attorney.

Most recently, defendants with murder charges had to be evaluated at the Cook County Jail in Chicago and the Westchester County Jail in New York. Dr. Heller has also performed a "death row" evaluation for the Federal Public Defender (Arizona), in addition to numerous evaluations in murder, assault, and rape cases. These cases include a triple homicide/kidnapping case in Pennsylvania, as well as an evaluation of a military defendant with consultation to his military counsel regarding a court-martial related to an allegation of spouse abuse.