Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Villalobos
Massachusetts Appeals Court
Decided April 13, 1979PublishedCited by 20 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
Our task in circumstances such as the present is to ascertain "whether there is a substantial risk of a miscarriage of justice.” Commonwealth v. Freeman, 352 Mass. 556, 564 (1967). Contrast Commonwealth v. O’Brien, 377 Mass. 772, 778-779 (1979), and cases cited. We believe that the prosecutor’s closing argument, when viewed in its totality, exceeded the bounds of permissible argument. See Commonwealth v. Burke, 373 Mass. 569, 577 (1977), and cases cited. See also Commonwealth v. Montecalvo, 367 Mass. 46, 56 (1975).
The prosecutor’s closing argument indicated that he had personal knowledge…
2Cases cited20 opinions
- Donnelly v. DeChristoforoSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Commonwealth v. FreemanMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1967
- Commonwealth v. FitzgeraldMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1978
- Commonwealth v. De ChristoforoMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1971
- Commonwealth v. St. PierreMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1979
15 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by20 opinions
- Commonwealth v. KozecMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1987
- Commonwealth v. JonesMassachusetts Appeals Court · 1980
- State v. SmithSupreme Court of Louisiana · 1989
- Commonwealth v. BaranMassachusetts Appeals Court · 2009
- Commonwealth v. HoganMassachusetts Appeals Court · 1981
15 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.