Commonwealth v. Williams

On July 18, 1998, Natasha Reavis boarded a bus at the South Bay Mall in Boston. The defendant, with whom she shared a turbulent relationship, followed her onto the bus and sat down beside her. They had been quarreling, and, according to Reavis, even though she was eight months pregnant with his child, she had decided on that day to break up with him. While Reavis and the defendant sat together on the bus, an argument about her decision, fueled by mutual animosity, burst into violence. Blows were exchanged. Reavis lay bloodied on the floor, causing the driver to halt the bus and call for help.…