Opinion ID: 2039061
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Robert L. McCarthy.

Text: The medical testimony showed that William's shot and not Robert's blows with the club killed Sandman. Robert's conviction for murder depends upon his being engaged in joint illegal conduct with William in the course of which William fired the fatal shot. Commonwealth v. Campbell, 7 Allen, 541, 543-544. Commonwealth v. Devereaux, 256 Mass. 387, 395-396. Commonwealth v. Lussier, 333 Mass. 83, 93-94. Robert urges as ground for a new trial inconsistency in the verdicts as to him. Even if there were inconsistency between the verdicts of not guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and assault with intent to rob on the one hand and the verdict of murder on the other it would not be such as to show error in the verdict for murder. Dunn v. United States, 284 U.S. 390, 393. Borum v. United States, 284 U.S. 596. United States v. Coplon, 185 F.2d 629 (2d Cir.), cert. den. 342 U.S. 920. Anderson, Wharton's Criminal Law & Procedure, § 2128. Compare Commonwealth v. Haskins, 128 Mass. 60 (verdicts for larceny and receiving the same goods necessarily inconsistent); United States v. Maybury, 274 F.2d 899 (2d Cir.) (jury waived trial). But the two men were tried together and Robert's conviction of murder depended upon a finding that William committed murder. That finding now being vacated as to William, justice in our view requires a new trial for Robert. G.L.c. 278, § 33E (may ... for any ... reason that justice may require ... order a new trial). Commonwealth v. Cox, 327 Mass. 609, 615. Commonwealth v. Baker, 346 Mass. 107, 109. Compare Commonwealth v. DiStasio, 298 Mass. 562, 565-566 (accessory was tried separately after conviction of principal). There appears no error in respect of the conviction of Robert for assault with a dangerous weapon.