Commonwealth v. Denton

Following a jury trial, the defendant, Scypio Denton, was convicted of distribution of heroin, in violation of G. L. c. 94C, § 32 (b). At trial, the defendant raised the affirmative defense of entrapment. The judge permitted the Commonwealth to respond by introducing evidence of three prior convictions, despite the defendant’s objection that they were too stale to be probative of his predisposition to commit the crime. The defendant’s principal argument on appeal concerns the decision to admit this evidence. We reverse on that ground.

Background. We recite the facts the jury could have found.

1.…