Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Rutherford
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided March 16, 2017No. SJC 12094PublishedCited by 22 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtGaziano, J.
A Superior Court jury convicted the defendant of murder in the first degree on theories of deliberate premeditation and felony-murder in the July, 2011, death of the victim, Francis Spokis. At trial, the defendant conceded that he and his girl friend broke into the victim’s home, robbed him, beat him, and stabbed him to death. The defendant contended, however, largely through the testimony of an expert witness, that he was incapable of forming the intent required for murder because he was impaired by mental illness. The defendant raises two claims in this direct appeal. First, he argues that…
2Cases cited29 opinions
- Commonwealth v. KozecMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1987
- L.L., a juvenile v. CommonwealthMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2014
- Commonwealth v. HelfantMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1986
- Commonwealth v. MelloMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1995
- Commonwealth v. CraytonMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2014
24 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by22 opinions
- Commonwealth v. WardsworthMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2019
- Commonwealth v. HowardMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2017
- Commonwealth v. AlvarezMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2018
- Commonwealth v. BryantMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2019
- Commonwealth v. ReyesMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2019
17 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.