Commonwealth v. Solis

A judge of the Superior Court granted the defendant a new trial because statements made to the jury by one or more court officers subjected the jury to extraneous influences that might have prejudiced the defendant. Defense counsel learned of the court officers’ statements through postverdict questioning of a juror that was not authorized by a judge. Counsel’s conduct was inconsistent with principles for postverdict interrogation of jurors set forth in Commonwealth v. Fidler, 377 Mass. 192, 201-204 (1979), but was not in violation of the Massachusetts Code of Professional Responsibility. See…