Commonwealth v. Edward

Following a jury trial, the defendant was convicted of rape of a fifteen year old babysitter whom he had employed. He now contends that the judge erred in defining oral rape in the charge, and that his conviction should be reversed on the ground of ineffective assistance of counsel because of his trial counsel’s friendship with an important prosecution witness. There is no merit to the defendant’s appellate arguments, and we affirm the judgment of conviction.

The complainant was a resident of Chappaquiddick Island who was working during the summer at a clothing store operated by the. defendant…