Commonwealth v. Barnes

Kenneth Barnes was convicted on indictments charging larceny, burglary, burglary and assault upon an occupant, and assault and battery. Barnes challenges his convictions on the ground that his decision to conduct his own defense was constitutionally deficient. He also claims that the judge impermissibly foreclosed his cross-examination of a witness. Finally, he contends that his confession to the burglary and larceny charges should have been suppressed because it resulted from an arrest based upon a pretext, and thereby violated his Fourth Amendment rights. We took the case on our own motion.…