Commonwealth v. Pennellatore

This case and its companion 1 stem from a common incident, although each raises for the most part independent questions of law. The defendant was convicted of murder in the first degree, armed robbery, and armed assault in a dwelling with intent to commit a felony. The trial judge sentenced the defendant to concurrent life terms on the latter two convictions, to be served from and after the mandatory life term on the conviction of murder in the first degree. The victim, an eighty-four year old woman, died as a result of between fifty and sixty blows of severe force to her head which fractured…