Title: Commonwealth v. Ferreira

State: massachusetts

Issuer: Massachusetts Supreme Court

Document:

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SJC-13065 
 
COMMONWEALTH  vs.  ANTONIO M. FERREIRA. 
 
 
June 22, 2022. 
 
 
Practice, Criminal, Capital case, Postconviction relief, 
Dismissal. 
 
 
 
The defendant, Antonio M. Ferreira, was convicted of murder 
in the first degree by reason of deliberate premeditation and 
extreme atrocity or cruelty.  After plenary review, we affirmed 
the conviction and the denial of his motion for a new trial. See 
Commonwealth v. Ferreira, 481 Mass. 641, 642 (2019).  Ferreira 
subsequently filed in the Superior Court a motion seeking 
postconviction relief, which was denied.  He then applied to a 
single justice of this court, pursuant to the gatekeeper 
provision of G. L. c. 278, § 33E, for leave to appeal from the 
denial.  The single justice denied the application.  Ferreira 
now purports to appeal from the single justice's ruling.  The 
appeal must be dismissed.1 
 
 
A single justice, acting as gatekeeper pursuant to G. L. 
c. 278, § 33E, may authorize an appeal to proceed in the full 
court if it presents a "new and substantial question which ought 
to be determined by the full court."  Commonwealth v. 
DiBenedetto, 475 Mass. 429, 431 n.7 (2016).  See Commonwealth v. 
Gunter, 459 Mass. 480, 487, cert. denied, 565 U.S. 868 (2011).  
If the single justice decides the appeal does not meet that 
standard and denies the application, as the single justice did 
 
1 The Commonwealth has moved to vacate the entry of the 
appeal on the ground that the "decision of the gatekeeper is 
final and unreviewable."  Commonwealth v. Colon, 479 Mass. 1032, 
1032 (2018).  It is our practice to dismiss such appeals, and we 
do so here. 
2 
 
here, the decision "is final and unreviewable."  Commonwealth v. 
Gunter, 456 Mass. 1017, 1017 (2010).  "A defendant who is denied 
leave to appeal from a single justice acting as a gatekeeper 
pursuant to the last sentence of G. L. c. 278, § 33E, has no 
right to appeal from the single justice's ruling denying leave."  
Commonwealth v. Companonio, 472 Mass. 1004, 1005 (2015), and 
cases cited.  "The special function of the single justice 
mandated by the statute would be futile and meaningless if his 
or her rulings were subject to appeal before the full court."  
Leaster v. Commonwealth, 385 Mass. 547, 548 (1982). 
 
 
Ferreira's attempt to appeal from the single justice's 
denial of his application, pursuant to G. L. c. 278, § 33E, must 
be dismissed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appeal dismissed. 
 
 
 
Antonio M. Ferreira, pro se. 
 
Hallie White Speight, Assistant District Attorney, for the 
Commonwealth.