Commonwealth v. Gregory

The defendant appeals from his conviction of manslaughter on an indictment charging murder. At trial, the defendant admitted that he had killed the victim, but claimed that he acted in self-defense. The incident which gave rise to the indictment took place in the defendant’s bedroom in his home. The defendant claims that the judge’s charge on self-defense incorrectly implied, contrary to the recently enacted so-called “castle” law (G. L. c. 278, § 8A), that the defendant had a duty to retreat from an assailant while in his own home. The defendant also raises two less substantial evidentiary…