Commonwealth v. Silva

The defendant, James E. Silva, Jr., was indicted by a Bristol County grand jury on February 12, 1979, for murder, kidnapping, and three counts of larceny of a motor vehicle. On October 18, 1979, the defendant was found guilty by a jury of murder in the second degree, kidnapping, and one count of larceny of a motor vehicle. The trial judge imposed the mandatory life sentence on the murder conviction and, on each of the other charges, imposed sentences of not less than three nor more than five years, to be served concurrently with the life sentence. The defendant filed a notice of appeal and we…