Commonwealth v. Perez

In this case we evaluate whether the trial judge erred in concluding that the Commonwealth had made a good faith effort to secure a witness’s attendance at trial. “The lengths to which the prosecution must go to produce a witness . . . is a question of reasonableness.” Commonwealth v. Childs, 413 Mass. 252, 260-261 (1992), quoting from Ohio v. Roberts, 448 U.S. 56, 74 (1980). The judge here determined that the witness was unavailable and that his testimony from a prior trial was, therefore, admissible. See Commonwealth v. Roberio, 440 Mass. 245, 247-248, 250 (2003); Commonwealth v. Sena, 441…