Commonwealth v. Towers

Tried, jury-waived, in a so-called jury-of-six proceeding in District Court, Ann Towers was convicted of the crime of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (G. L. c. 90, § 24). In her appeal to this court, she claims that her waiver of the right to trial by jury should be voided because she is not shown to have made it freely and upon adequate knowledge. She claims also that, on the substantive evidence of the alleged crime, she was entitled to, but was denied, a required finding of not guilty, and that the court improperly considered extraneous matter in ruling on…