Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Ruddock
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided November 2, 1998PublishedCited by 59 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtWilkins, C.J.
On March 2, 1995, the defendant killed his mother in her home in Chatham. He appeals from a verdict that *289he was guilty of murder in the first degree on the theories of deliberate premeditation and extreme atrocity or cruelty. We affirm the conviction.
Police officers, who responded to a concerned telephone call from the victim, arrived at the home in time to see the defendant complete the decapitation of his mother with a knife. Expert testimony, even from the Commonwealth, showed that the defendant had a mental disease at the time of the murder. There was conflicting testimony as to whether,…
2Cases cited7 opinions
- Commonwealth v. McHoulMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1967
- Commonwealth v. MutinaMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1975
- Commonwealth v. ShelleyMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1980
- Commonwealth v. SheehanMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1978
- Commonwealth v. BrennanMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1987
2 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by59 opinions
- Commonwealth v. DegroMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2000
- Commonwealth v. LodgeMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2000
- Commonwealth v. SilanskasMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2001
- Commonwealth v. FreemanMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1999
- Commonwealth v. MartinezMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2000
54 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.