Commonwealth v. Robichaud

Robichaud appeals under G. L. c. 278, §§ 33A-33G, from a conviction on an indictment charging that he and fifteen named codefendants, each being an inmate at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Walpole, did assault and beat eleven named correctional officers of said institution. A recital of the evidence is not necessary. Suffice it to say that there was ample evidence warranting the verdict returned by the jury.

At the close of the evidence, but before the arguments, a motion for a mistrial was heard in the judge’s lobby. Robichaud was not present. At the commencement of the hearing,…