Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Swafford
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided March 30, 2004PublishedCited by 48 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtCordy, J.
Following a jury trial, Gus Swafford and Ricardo Gittens were found guilty of murder in the first degree and of assault with intent to murder.2 On appeal, Swafford argues that the trial judge erred in admitting gang affiliation testimony and in dismissing a deliberating juror; Swafford additionally argues that the Commonwealth committed improprieties during closing argument and that the judge improperly instructed the jury regarding the use of prior inconsistent statements, creating a substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice. Gittens raises claims similar to Swafford’s, and…
2Cases cited27 opinions
- Commonwealth v. LatimoreMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1979
- Commonwealth v. FancyMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1965
- Commonwealth v. DayeMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1984
- Commonwealth v. ConnorMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1984
- Commonwealth v. KingMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1983
22 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by48 opinions
- State v. TorresSupreme Court of New Jersey · 2005
- Commonwealth v. LaoMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2005
- Commonwealth v. KellyMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2015
- Commonwealth v. ArroyoMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2004
- Commonwealth v. GonzalezMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2016
43 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.