Nardi v. Pepe

BOUDIN, Circuit Judge.

George Nardi was convicted of first-degree murder in a Massachusetts state trial court for killing his mother, Dianne Barchard. Nardi later sought federal habeas relief and now, following its denial, presses a single claim on appeal: he argues that the state trial court violated his rights under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment by admitting expert opinion testimony resting on what he contends was inadmissible testimonial hearsay.

The underlying facts are drawn from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s (“SJC”) opinion affirming Nardi’s conviction,…