Commonwealth v. Barca

A Superior Court jury convicted the defendant, Matias Barca, of unarmed robbery and four counts of attempt to commit a crime (unarmed robbery). The defendant now appeals alleging that the trial judge erred in allowing the victims to identify the defendant in court and in denying the defendant's motion to recuse herself from presiding over the trial. We affirm.

Background. In the early morning hours of June 26, 2009, a group of friends, ranging in age from fifteen to about twenty years old, was walking home from Davis Square in Somerville when a group of men started following them. Three of…