Deborah Bates Riordan's Legal Cases (2)

Appeals

Commonwealth v. Tyriek Brown, Supreme Judicial Court docket no. SJC-12348

Jun 18, 2018

OUTCOME: I successfully reversed Mr. Brown's conviction.

Major case decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Mr. Brown was convicted of Possession of a Loaded Handgun. The handgun was given to Mr. Brown by another. He did not know the magazin ... e was loaded with ammunition. The issue was whether the Commonwealth needed to prove he knew there was ammunition in the gun. As a result of winning this case, the Court revised the jury instructions used throughout the state. Those new state-wide jury instructions require the Commonwealth must prove a defendant knew a gun was loaded with ammunition.

Appeals

Commonwealth v. Mark Means, Supreme Judicial Court docket no. SJC-10262

Oct 26, 2009

OUTCOME: I won this case and reversed Mr. Mean's conviction.

The trial court judge in this case ruled that Mr. Means had forfeited his right to counsel. As a result, he was forced to go to trial without a lawyer. Of course he had no ability to defend himself an ... d was convicted. I successfully overturned his conviction. This case is very important because the court revised the standard for all future cases on when a defendant can be denied counsel.

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