The marriage of John and Lorena, husband and wife, has been in trouble for a long time. He beats her constantly.

The marriage of John and Lorena, husband and wife, has been in trouble for a long time. He beats her constantly. She has been hospitalized eight times in the last year with multiple bruises, cuts, and assorted injuries. She is terrified of him. He drinks heavily during the day and night, beats her, and passes out. One night she has had enough. After he passes out, Lorena, in a fit of rage, gets a butcher knife from the kitchen, and cuts off John’s penis, runs from the house, and while running, throws the severed member away. John dies. At her trial, Lorena’s attorney defends her on the basis of battered spouse syndrome, which is a recognized defense in the jurisdiction. Should Lorena be able to successfully argue the defense as a means of escaping liability? (based on true story :))Explain your thought process.