Commonwealth v. Smith

The defendant appeals from his conviction of murder in the second degree in the death by shooting of fourteen year old Marvin Constant. At the time of his arrest for the shooting, the defendant was seventeen years and five months old. The Commonwealth’s evidence at trial included, among other things, incriminating statements that the defendant made to police after waiving his Miranda rights. See Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). The defendant sought, unsuccessfully, to suppress these statements. He argues on appeal that their introduction at trial was error given our common-law rule…