Expert testimony regarding the battered woman syndrome is often presented at trial on behalf of women charged with killing their batterers. In this study, a brief questionnaire was administered to 216 members of the general public, half who were male and half female. The subjects, ranging in age from 20 to 80, were asked to respond 'true' or 'false' to eight statements about a hypothetical scenario dealing with a couple's relationship, the battering incident, the woman's responsibility for the battering, her 'masochism', and her ability to leave her husband. More than a third of those surveyed expressed the belief that the battered woman is at least partially responsible for the battering, and that if she remains in the relationship she is somewhat masochistic and probably emotionally disturbed. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents apparently believe that a battered woman can 'simply leave' her batterer. Results suggest that many members of the general public who are eligible for jury duty hold erroneous, stereotyped beliefs about battered women. Tabular data and 11 references.