Commonwealth v. Fields

Opinion by

Hirt, J.,

The defendants were jointly tried and were convicted of common law rape and robbery. On return of the verdicts the trial judge peremptorily refused their motions for new trials, without argument, and sentenced the defendants. Their present counsel in arguing these appeals impugned the fairmindedness of the judge in the trial of these cases. We have serious doubt as to the validity of the convictions of these defendants on the present record. And regardless of whether inadequacies in this record amount to reversible error, this is a case in which we. are impelled to grant…