Commonwealth v. Scionti

The defendant, Michael Scionti, appeals from his conviction of assault and battery on a correction officer. The two issues raised on appeal are whether he was competent to stand trial and, if so, whether he was denied due process of law when the judge conducted the jury trial without his presence in the court room. We affirm because there was an adequate evidentiary basis for the judge’s determination that the defendant was competent and, due to his obstreperous and threatening behavior, the defendant forfeited his right to be present in the court room during trial.

Factual background. This is…