Commonwealth v. Carpenter

The complaint charges that at Boston on September 1, 1948, the defendant “did wilfully and unreasonably saunter and loiter in a certain public street . . . called Columbus Avenue for more than seven minutes after being then lawfully directed there ... to move on” by a police officer. In the Superior Court the defendant waived trial by jury, and was tried, convicted, and sentenced to pay a fine of $20. The judge, being of opinion that there is involved a question of law so important or doubtful as to require the decision of this court, with the consent of the defendant, reported the case, and…