Commonwealth v. Daggett

The defendant, Dana A. Daggett, was convicted of murder in the first degree by reason of extreme atrocity or cruelty. The principal claim of error the defendant makes is that evidence of tests performed on the victim’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and DNA extracted from blood in the trunk of the defendant’s automobile and blood found at the plant where defendant worked was improperly admitted at trial. The defendant contends that the error committed requires a new trial. The author of this opinion and Justice Nolan conclude that the evidence was not properly admitted; a majority of the quorum…