Commonwealth v. Robinson
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In 2005, Leon Robinson was convicted of first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm for the 2001 shooting death of Recardo Robinson. The incident occurred in a barbershop after an argument between the two men. Several witnesses identified Leon as the shooter. The prosecution also presented evidence of a small bloodstain on Leon's jacket that matched the victim's DNA. Leon appealed his convictions and the denial of his motion for a new trial, arguing that evidence obtained from his apartment was wrongly admitted, his right to self-representation was violated, the prosecutor acted improperly, and his counsel was ineffective.
The Superior Court Department had previously denied Leon's pretrial motion to suppress evidence from his apartment. Leon argued that the search warrant was erroneously granted, but the Supreme Judicial Court disagreed, finding that the warrant was supported by probable cause. Leon's motion for a new trial was also denied by the Superior Court Department. He argued that his trial counsel was ineffective for not introducing certain evidence and not retaining expert witnesses, but the Supreme Judicial Court found these decisions to be strategic and not manifestly unreasonable.
The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Leon's murder conviction, finding no errors that would have influenced the jury's decision. However, the court vacated his conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. The court ruled that, in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, the absence of a license was an essential element of the firearm possession offense that the prosecution needed to prove. The case was remanded for a new trial on the firearm charge.
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