Commonwealth v. Morgan

The defendant, Richard Morgan, was convicted of murder in the first degree and armed assault with intent to rob. On appeal, the defendant claims that the trial judge erred in: (1) failing to instruct the jury sufficiently on the effect of drug consumption in reducing first degree to second degree murder; (2) instructing the jury on felony-murder; (3) admitting testimony of a witness who had read transcripts of prior proceedings; (4) giving erroneous instructions on “malice aforethought”; and (5) failing to seek clarification of the grounds for the jury’s verdict of murder in the first degree.…