Commonwealth v. Velez

Docket NumberSJC-11503
Decision Date25 May 2021
The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's convictions for two counts of murder in the first degree and the denial of his motion for a new trial, holding that Defendant was not deprived of his constitutional right to the effective assistance of counsel On appeal, Defendant argued, among other things, that it was manifestly unreasonable for his trial counsel to forgo mental health defenses in favor of a third-party culprit defense. The Supreme Judicial Court disagreed, holding (1) trial...

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5 cases
  • Commonwealth v. Huang
    • United States
    • Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
    • February 16, 2022
    ...of a mental impairment, a defendant lacked the requisite intent to commit murder in the first degree"). See Commonwealth v. Velez, 487 Mass. 533, 538 n.6, 168 N.E.3d 800 (2021) ("There is no diminished capacity defense in the Commonwealth. A jury, however, may consider credible evidence of ......
  • Commonwealth v. Jacobs
    • United States
    • Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
    • October 19, 2021
    ...hearing, we "accept the [judge's] findings where they are supported by substantial evidence in the record." Commonwealth v. Velez, 487 Mass. 533, 540, 168 N.E.3d 800 (2021). "When, as here, the motion judge did not preside at trial, we defer to that judge's assessment of the credibility of ......
  • Commonwealth v. Kirkland
    • United States
    • Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
    • February 22, 2023
    ...substantial evidence in the record’ " (alteration omitted). Jacobs, 488 Mass. at 600, 174 N.E.3d 1200, quoting Commonwealth v. Velez, 487 Mass. 533, 540, 168 N.E.3d 800 (2021). "When, as here, the motion judge did not preside at trial, we defer to that judge's assessment of the credibility ......
  • Commonwealth v. Brown
    • United States
    • Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
    • July 11, 2024
    ...as found by the motion judge in his written decision, supplemented with undisputed facts in the record. See Commonwealth v. Velez, 487 Mass. 533, 535, 168 N.E.3d 800 (2021). On the evening of April 14, 2013, police responded to a report of a stabbing at a home in Milton. Upon arrival, they ......
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