Legal Opinion
Lannon v. Commonwealth
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided February 8, 1980PublishedCited by 59 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtLiacos, J.
On July 31, 1971, Nancy Lannon the estranged wife of the petitioner, Reginald Lannon, was fatally wounded by a shot from a shotgun held by the petitioner. He was indicted for murder in the first degree and tried to a jury. At trial, the petitioner testified that the fatal shot was accidentally caused when a screen door hit the gun he was holding, causing it to discharge. The defense also offered expert psychiatric testimony to the effect that the petitioner was a paranoid schizophrenic, had a suicidal preoccupation, and suffered from diminished mental responsibility. The jury found Lannon…
2Cases cited21 opinions
- Sandstrom v. MontanaSupreme Court of the United States · 1979
- Mullaney v. WilburSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
- Commonwealth v. RodriguezMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1976
- Commonwealth v. StokesMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1978
- Commonwealth v. McInerneyMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1977
16 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by59 opinions
- Commonwealth v. BradshawMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1982
- DeJoinville v. CommonwealthMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1980
- Commonwealth v. FitzgeraldMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1980
- Commonwealth v. RobinsonMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1981
- Commonwealth v. AlbertMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1984
54 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.