Commonwealth v. Alexander

The Commonwealth seeks further appellate review of a decision of the Appeals Court 1 reversing the defendant’s conviction and dismissing the indictment against him because of a violation of his statutory right to a “prompt trial” under G. L. c. 277, § 72A. 2 We granted the Commonwealth’s application under G. L. c. 211A, § 11. We now reverse the judgment of the Superior Court, but we do so on a somewhat different analysis of the statute from that adopted by the Appeals Court.

The defendant was indicted for rape on March 3, 1971, and after a delay caused by his flight from Massachusetts, he…