Commonwealth v. Greene

OPINION BY

BOWES, J.:

Michael Greene appeals from the judgment of sentence of life imprisonment imposed by the trial court pursuant to Pennsylvania’s recidivist statute, 42 Pa. C.S. § 9714, after his convictions of aggravated assault and simple assault. After careful review, we hold that the trial court erred in concluding that two prior Massachusetts convictions were substantially equivalent to this Commonwealth’s statutorily defined crimes of violence. Accordingly, we vacate Appellant’s judgment of sentence and remand for resentencing.

*360The pertinent factual and procedural background of this…