Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Little
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided June 21, 2000PublishedCited by 31 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtGreaney, J.
A jury in the Superior Court convicted the defendant of murder in the first degree on the theory of extreme atrocity or cruelty and of unlawful possession of a firearm.1 He *783is represented by new counsel on appeal. We conclude that errors in portions of the instructions to the jury on voluntary manslaughter created a substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice. Accordingly, we reverse the defendant’s conviction of murder in the first degree and remand that indictment for a new trial.
1. There was no dispute that the defendant shot and killed the victim during an argument. The main issues…
2Cases cited20 opinions
- Commonwealth v. HarringtonMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1980
- Commonwealth v. WaldenMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1980
- Commonwealth v. GunterMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1998
- Commonwealth v. TorresMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1995
- Commonwealth v. SoarisMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1931
15 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by31 opinions
- Commonwealth v. RandolphMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2002
- Commonwealth v. EspadaMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2008
- Commonwealth v. YoungMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2012
- Commonwealth v. GlackenMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2008
- Commonwealth v. AliceaMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2013
26 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.