Commonwealth v. Butler

A District Court jury convicted the defendant of *837assault and battery and also of disorderly conduct. On appeal, the defendant contends the following: the trial judge improperly admitted evidence of prior bad acts involving the defendant and the victim; the prosecutor impermissibly called the victim to testify with the sole purpose of impeaching her; and the prosecutor improperly criticized defense counsel, vouched for Commonwealth witnesses, and elicited testimony about the defendant’s arrest and incarceration. We reverse the judgment as to the assault and battery because admission of the…