Commonwealth v. Ward

After this court upheld the transfer of the defendant from the juvenile to the adult system (Ward v. Commonwealth, 407 Mass. 434 [1990]), a jury convicted him of murder in the first degree by reason of extreme atrocity or cruelty. In this appeal, Ward challenges (1) the denial of his motion to suppress certain statements that he made to the police and (2) the judge’s instruction concerning the consequences of a finding that the defendant was not guilty by reason of his lack of criminal responsibility. Ward also seeks relief under G. L. c. 278, § 33E (1990 ed.), asking us to reduce the verdict…