Snell v. Lee

Emory G. Snell, Jr., appeals from the denial of his petition for relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3. We affirm the judgment.

Snell was convicted of the murder of his wife. Commonwealth v. Snell, 428 Mass. 766, cert. denied, 527 U.S. 1010 (1999). His wife’s estate commenced a wrongful death action against him in the Superior Court. Snell filed no answer to the complaint, and a default judgment entered against him. Mass. R. Civ. P. 55, as amended, 423 Mass. 1402 (1996). His efforts to set aside the default judgment were unsuccessful.

Snell then filed his petition in the county court. In that…