Commonwealth v. Berry

As proof of its charge of voluntary manslaughter at the defendant’s second trial,1 the Commonwealth offered, in addition to testimony of other witnesses to the event, the testimony of one of the victim’s friends, Renée Bailey, that many people were involved in the brawl just outside of the Carter American Legion Post, a social club in the Mattapan section of Boston. The victim and the defendant engaged in a heated argument, which resulted in the victim being stabbed during an ensuing free-for-all. During her cross-examination, Bailey gave the most damaging testimony against the defendant when…