Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Cheney
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided December 15, 2003PublishedCited by 21 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtCordy, J.
This case requires us to decide a question left open in Commonwealth v. Brandano, 359 Mass. 332 (1971) (Brandano), whether art. 30 of the Declaration of Rights of the Massachusetts Constitution permits a judge (prior to verdict, finding, or plea) to dismiss a legally adequate criminal indictment in the “interests of public justice” over the Commonwealth’s objection. We conclude that it does not.
1. Background. In July, 1997, a grand jury returned four indictments charging the defendant Michael Cheney with rape of a child under sixteen years of age in violation of G. L. c. 265, § 23. The…
2Cases cited16 opinions
- Commonwealth v. McCarthyMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1982
- Commonwealth v. DuquetteMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1982
- Commonwealth v. BrandanoMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1971
- Commonwealth v. GordonMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1991
- Commonwealth v. WheelerMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1806
11 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by21 opinions
- Commonwealth v. MorganMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2017
- Commonwealth v. PowellMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2009
- Commonwealth v. RodriguezMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2012
- Commonwealth v. Newton N., a juvenileMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2018
- Commonwealth v. Sebastian S.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2005
16 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.