Commonwealth v. Woods

The defendant Michael Woods was convicted after jury trial upon amended indictments 1 charging him with two acts of rape on a female victim. 2 The Appeals Court affirmed the convictions with rescript opinion. 9 Mass. App. Ct. 815 (1980). We allowed the defendant’s application for further appellate review to resolve a question of basic fairness turning on a claim of alibi.

We shall digest and analyze the evidence and in that light assess the defendant’s motions for directed verdicts of acquittal and for a new trial. We reach the conclusion that in all the circumstances of the case a new trial…