Commonwealth v. Hastings

The defendant was tried without a jury and convicted on indictments charging aggravated rape and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon. He appeals, asserting that the judge erred in denying his motion, filed at the close of the Commonwealth’s case, for a required finding of not guilty on so much of the indictment for rape as alleged “aggravated” and so much of the indictment for assault and battery as alleged “by means of a dangerous weapon.”

We have little difficulty concluding that the Commonwealth presented sufficient evidence to convince a rational trier of fact of each…