Commonwealth v. Salyer

Following a trial by jury, the defendant, Angelina Salyer, was found guilty of making a false report of a crime in violation of G. L. c. 269, § 13A, and criminal harassment in violation of G. L. c. 265, § 43A(o). We conclude that because her attorney provided ineffective assistance of counsel in failing to object and move to strike certain inadmissible evidence, there must be a new trial on the charge of criminal harassment.

Background. The jury could have found that beginning in 2001, the defendant and Richard Dicato were involved in a relationship and had two children together. At the end of…