Commonwealth v. Facella

Over two years elapsed before the defendant, Joseph Facella, represented by new counsel, moved for a new trial after pleading guilty to seven indictments in the *355Superior Court.2 That time interval engenders an initial skepticism about the defendant’s argument that his pleas were coerced by his original defense counsel. The gravity of the perceived deficiencies in defense counsel’s conduct appears to have escaped the notice of the plea judge, who was also the motion judge. After hearing argument by counsel, the judge denied the motion without an evidentiary hearing. The defendant filed a…