Case Title: Commonwealth v. Watkins (No. 2)

Citation: 

Docket Number: SJC-12969

State: massachusetts

Court: Massachusetts Supreme Court

Date: 2021-02-11T00:00:00Z

Document:
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SJC-12969 
 
COMMONWEALTH  vs.  LARRY WATKINS (No. 2). 
 
 
February 11, 2021. 
 
 
Practice, Criminal, New trial, Appeal by Commonwealth, Execution 
of sentence.  Moot Question. 
 
 
 
The defendant, Larry Watkins, was convicted of murder in 
the first degree and other crimes1 in connection with the killing 
of Edward Keen.  His convictions subsequently were affirmed in 
Commonwealth v. Watkins, 375 Mass. 472, 492 (1978).  In 2019, a 
judge granted the defendant's most recent motion for a new 
trial, and allowed the defendant's request for release pending 
the Commonwealth's appeal from the motion judge's order granting 
a new trial.2  A single justice of this court subsequently 
vacated the motion judge's release order.  Before us is the 
                     
 
1 The defendant was also convicted of armed robbery and 
kidnapping. 
 
 
2 Although the defendant presented his request for release 
as a motion to stay execution of his sentence pending appeal 
pursuant to Mass. R. Crim. P. 31 (a), as appearing in 454 Mass. 
1501 (2009), this request should have been brought as a motion 
for release pending appeal pursuant to Mass. R. Crim. P. 30 (c) 
(8) (A), as appearing in 435 Mass. 1501 (2001).  Rule 30 (c) (8) 
(A) provides that, where an appeal is taken from a final order 
under rule 30, such as an order for a new trial under Mass. R. 
Crim. P. 30 (b), "the defendant shall not be discharged from 
custody pending final decision upon the appeal; provided, 
however, that the defendant may, in the discretion of the judge, 
be admitted to bail pending decision of the appeal."  In 
contrast, rule 31 (a) permits a stay of execution where an 
appeal has been taken from a defendant's conviction. 
 
 
defendant's appeal from the single justice's decision.  As we 
have reversed the order granting the defendant a new trial, see 
Commonwealth v. Watkins (No. 1), 486 Mass.     (2021), we now 
dismiss the defendant's appeal from the single justice's ruling 
vacating the order to release the defendant as moot. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appeal dismissed. 
 
 
 
Konstantin Tretyakov, Assistant District Attorney, for the 
Commonwealth. 
 
Michael A. Nam-Krane for the defendant.