Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Mello
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided May 17, 1995PublishedCited by 174 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtNolan, J.
The defendant appeals from his convictions of murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, and arson,1 and from the denial of his motion for a new trial based on the alleged ineffective assistance of defense counsel. On appeal, the defendant challenges: (1) the prosecutor’s closing argument; (2) the admission of the defendant’s confessions; (3) the jury instructions on mens rea; (4) the judge’s allegedly undignified remarks and jokes; (5) the effectiveness of defense counsel in failing to investigate the use of an expert, failing to object, and failing to exercise peremptory…
2Cases cited59 opinions
- Commonwealth v. SaferianMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1974
- Sims v. GeorgiaSupreme Court of the United States · 1967
- Commonwealth v. WrightMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1992
- Commonwealth v. KozecMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1987
- Commonwealth v. TavaresMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1982
54 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by174 opinions
- Commonwealth v. AzarMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2002
- Commonwealth v. VinnieMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1998
- Commonwealth v. GunterMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1998
- Commonwealth v. VerdeMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2005
- Commonwealth v. MageeMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1996
169 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.