Commonwealth v. Sepheus (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-087-14)
Drug possession conviction reversed due to trial counsel's failure to strike improper expert testimony expressing opinion on defendant's guilt, but new trial permitted.
Commonwealth
Sorenti Bros., Inc. v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-088-14)
Eminent domain damages for impairment of access require either statutory compliance or severe loss of reasonable access to the highway system.
Commonwealth v. Buswell (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-080-14)
Defendant convicted of enticement of child; attempted rape, assault, and dissemination convictions reversed for insufficient evidence of overt act and statutory definition.
Commonwealth v. Martinez (Lawyers Weekly No. 11-046-14)
Home invasion statute applies to assault of non-occupant who entered dwelling after defendant; victim need not be resident.
Commonwealth v. Aspen (Lawyers Weekly No. 11-045-14)
Motion for new trial granted; appellate counsel ineffective for failing to raise Federico violation regarding impermissible credibility vouching by expert witness.
Commonwealth v. Lewis (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-077-14)
Commonwealth must provide copies of drug-analysis equipment maintenance and calibration records in criminal discovery; burden claim unsupported.
Watts, et al. v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-076-14)
Statute expanding juvenile court jurisdiction applies prospectively only to cases begun after its effective date, not to pending cases commenced before enactment.
Commonwealth v. Donald (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-075-14)
Postconviction DNA testing statute permits access to newer testing methods when earlier analysis used older technology, if newer method offers material improvement in accuracy.
Commonwealth v. Webb (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-074-14)
Murder conviction affirmed where immunity and plea-agreement witnesses properly presented to jury and prosecutor did not improperly vouch for credibility.
Commonwealth v. Nelson (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-072-14)
Murder conviction affirmed where DNA evidence placed defendant in victim's apartment, phone records showed contact before stabbing, and prosecutor's closing argument properly responded to defense theories.