(FORTUNE Magazine) – ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York's highest court today overturned a Laotian refugee's conviction for killing his wife, ruling that the jury should have been allowed to hear testimony on the stress of adapting to American culture. In a 7-to-0 decision the Court of Appeals ordered a new trial for May Aphaylath . . . Aphaylath admitted stabbing his wife 16 times after he heard her talking on the telephone with an ex-boyfriend. The high court said a Monroe County trial judge was wrong to refuse to allow two experts on Laotian culture to testify . . . on the ''stress and disorientation encountered by Laotian refugees'' trying to adapt to American culture. -- From a UPI dispatch.