Commonwealth v. Lawson

After trial by jury, Darren Lawson was convicted on two indictments charging kidnapping, two indictments charging aggravated rape, and one indictment charging assault by means of a dangerous weapon. In the Appeals Court, the defendant argued that the jury’s failure collectively to affirm the verdicts orally in open court rendered the verdicts void or invalid. In a memorandum and order issued pursuant to its rule 1:28, the Appeals Court affirmed the convictions. See 41 Mass. App. Ct. 1116 (1996). We granted the defendant’s application for further appellate review. We conclude, as did the…