Commonwealth v. Wood

The defendant appeals (G. L. c. 278, §§ 33A-33G) from his convictions on indictments charging him with rape (G. L. c. 265, § 22) and kidnapping (G. L. c. 265, § 26). He assigns as error (1) the judge’s charge to the jury on the meaning of reasonable doubt and (2) the admission of testimony indicating that the defendant had previously been imprisoned for rape. We summarize the facts as they could have been found by the jury.

At about 1:00 p.m. on March 26, 1977, the defendant stopped his pickup truck next to a young woman (the victim) who was walking along the road. He asked her if she wanted a…