Commonwealth v. Lee

Following a jury trial in the Brockton District Court, the defendant, Lee V. Lam, was convicted of assault and battery on a family or household member in violation of G. L. c. 265, § 13M(a ). On appeal, the defendant claims that (1) the judge abused his discretion by declining to ask a question during jury empanelment; (2) the prosecutor mischaracterized the evidence in her closing argument; and (3) the absence of a self-defense instruction created a substantial risk of a miscarriage of justice. We affirm.

Discussion. 1. Voir dire question. Before trial, the defendant filed a motion requesting…