Commonwealth v. Horsman

On the afternoon of October 24, 1994, Norman Jackson, who was visually impaired, was attacked from behind while walking home from the Andover train station by a man who ordered him to surrender his briefcase. Jackson resisted, and a tussle ensued. Jackson managed to hold onto his briefcase, but his assailant hit him repeatedly on the head, causing bleed*263ing that required hospital treatment, and jabbed him in the back with a blunt object. The defendant, William Horsman, was subsequently identified as the attacker.

The defense at trial, upon indictments charging Horsman with armed assault with…