COMMONWEALTH v. MEJIA


407 Mass. 493 (1990)

554 N.E.2d 1186

COMMONWEALTH vs. ANTONIO QUEZADA MEJIA.

Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Essex.

May 22, 1990.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Thomas Drechsler (Frances L. Robinson with him) for the defendant.

Robert J. Bender, Assistant District Attorney (Janice W. Howe, Assistant District Attorney, with him) for the Commonwealth.

Present: LIACOS, C.J., WILKINS, LYNCH, O'CONNOR, & GREANEY, JJ.


GREANEY, J.

We granted further appellate review in this case to decide whether the judge's instructions on self-defense may have led the jury to think that the defendant had to prove that he had acted in self-defense. Contrary to the decision of the Appeals Court,1 we conclude that the instructions had such potential. Accordingly, we reverse the defendant's conviction of manslaughter.

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