Commonwealth v. Holley

In December of 2011, a jury convicted the defendant, Jermaine Holley, of murder in the first degree on a theory of extreme atrocity or cruelty in connection with the death of the victim, Susy Goulart, in April, 2005.

On appeal, the defendant asserts errors in (1) the presence of police officers in the grand jury room while the Commonwealth presented witness testimony in support of the murder indictment; (2) the trial judge’s denial of the defendant’s motion for the appointment of a special prosecutor; (3) several evidentiary rulings by the trial judge; (4) the prosecutor’s opening statement…