Court Opinion

ID: 9740204
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:29:53.84589+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:16.786916
License: Public Domain

Liacos, J.
(dissenting). I dissent. A basic principle of the common law of England and of this Commonwealth has been that the prosecution has no right of appeal from the entry of a judgment of acquittal. Commonwealth v. Anthes, 5 Gray 185, 207 (1855). Even apart from considerations of double jeopardy, it long has been understood that the Commonwealth has no right of appeal from the entry of a judgment of acquittal absent an express statutory provision authorizing such an appeal. This principle was well stated by Chief Justice Shaw in Commonwealth v. Cummings, 3 Gush. 212, 215 (1849): “[I]t has never been supposed, that an appeal would lie for any party in a criminal case, except where it had been expressly given by statute; nor was it *540ever claimed, when appeals were largely and liberally allowed in criminal cases, that the commonwealth could appeal from a judgment of acquittal” (emphasis added).
This fundamental principle of our criminal jurisprudence has remained valid from our colonial beginnings until this day. The court, nevertheless, in a strained interpretation of G. L. c. 278, § 28E, and the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure, brings about a fundamental change of our law which clearly was never contemplated, either by the Legislature as it revised G. L. c. 278, § 28E, by St. 1979, c. 344, § 45,1 by the drafters of the rules of criminal procedure, or by this court when it promulgated those rules. The court does this without citing a single reference to explicit language which creates such a right, either in the statute, the rules, or the commentary to the rules to support its decision.2 Nor does it cite any authority to support the proposition that “[t]he reference in § 28E to a motion for appropriate relief must be read more broadly than to refer only to pretrial motions.” Supra at 534-535.
I am unable to find in the statutes and the rules relied upon by the court any indication of an intention by the Legislature or the court to alter so dramatically the longstanding practice of this Commonwealth. Rather, these provisions reflect the intent of the Legislature and the court to continue unchanged the prior law permitting appeals by the Commonwealth from orders allowing pretrial motions.
The majority concede that prior to its amendment in 1979, G. L. c. 278, § 28E, provided for appeals by the Commonwealth only from judgments allowing pretrial mo*541tions; to wit, from judgments “(1) allowing a motion to dismiss an indictment or complaint, or (2) allowing a motion to grant appropriate relief under the provisions of [G. L. c. 277, § 47A].” Supra at 534. General Laws c. 277, § 47A, inserted by St. 1965, c. 617, § 1, abolished, at least in name, the old forms of pretrial motions, e.g., demurrers, challenges, and motions to quash, and consolidate them under the general heading of a motion to dismiss or grant appropriate relief. See Reporters’ Notes to Mass. R. Crim. P. 13 (c), Mass. Ann. Laws, Rules of Criminal Procedure at 262 (1979). Thus, under G. L. c. 277, § 47A, “[djefenses and objections based on defects in the institution of the prosecution or in the indictment or complaint” could only be raised by these forms of pretrial motions. Like former G. L. c. 277, § 47A, rule 13 of the rules of criminal procedure establishes the form of, and manner for presentation of, pretrial motions. Indeed, rule 13 (c), headed “Motion to Dismiss or to Grant Appropriate Relief,” is a restatement of G. L. c. 277, § 47A. See Reporters’ Notes, Mass. R. Crim. P. 13 (c) (1979).
Simultaneously with promulgation of the criminal rules, G. L. c. 277, § 47A, and G. L. c. 278, § 28E, were amended “to coordinate the statutes of the Commonwealth with the new rules.” Supra at 533. The language of each statute remains essentially unchanged in so far as it relates to questions raised by this appeal, with the exception that, as amended, the statutes refer generally to the rules as the new source establishing the appropriate form of pretrial motions.3 Refore taking a significant departure from the common law, as the majority do today, I would require a far more clear statement of intent from the Legislature than can be gleaned from what appear to be mere “housekeeping” changes.
Since enactment of G. L. c. 277, § 47A, the phrase “motion for appropriate relief’ has always designated pretrial *542motions. See, e.g., G. L. c. 278, § 28E, as amended by St. 1972, c. 740, § 16; Mass. R. Crim. P. 13 (c), 378 Mass. 872 (1979); Mass. R. Crim. P. 15 (b) (1), 378 Mass. 883 (1979). Words used in one definite sense in an act are presumed to be used in the same sense throughout the act and its amendments, unless a different meaning is clearly expressed. Matter of Gagnon, 228 Mass. 334, 338 (1917). Moreover, the majority’s broad interpretation of the phrase “motion for appropriate relief” as it appears in G. L. c. 278, § 28E, as amended, would render superfluous the reference in the same sentence to motions to dismiss. Finally, I do not see how Mass. R. Crim. P. 30 (c) (8), 378 Mass. 908 (1979), requires or supports the majority’s interpretation of G. L. c. 278, § 28E. It was certainly not within the expressed expectation of this court that promulgation of the rules would lead to such a result.4
Since the court does not base its decision on G. L. c. 211, § 3, I need not comment at length on the availability of relief for the Commonwealth under that statute. Suffice it to say that I believe such review may be granted in the extraordinary case under the standards enunciated in Commonwealth v. Cook, 380 Mass. 314, 319-320 (1980).
For the reasons stated above, I would dismiss the Commonwealth’s appeal.

 General Laws c. 278, § 28E, as appearing in St. 1979, c. 344, § 45, provides in part: “An appeal may be taken by and on behalf of the commonwealth by the attorney general or a district attorney from the superior court to the supreme judicial court in all criminal cases from a decision, order or judgment of the court (1) allowing a motion to dismiss an indictment or complaint, or (2) allowing a motion for appropriate relief under the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure.”

 The right of appeal of the Federal government in a criminal case is, as the court acknowledges, based on an explicit Federal statute. 18 U.S.C. § 3731 (1971).

 General Laws c. 277, § 47A, as appearing in St. 1979, c. 344, § 39, effective July 1,1979, provides in part that “any defense or objection based upon defects in the institution of the prosecution or in the complaint or indictment . . . shall only be raised prior to trial and only by a motion in conformity with . . . the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure.”

 Subdivision (c) (8) is patterned after Cal. Penal Code § 1506 (Deering 1971 & Supp. 1981). See Reporters’ Notes to Mass. R. Crim. P. 30 (c) (8), Mass. Ann. Laws, Rules of Criminal Procedure at 485-486 (1979). Although in California the State may appeal from judgments allowing motions for a defendant’s release due to unlawful restraint, see Cal. Penal Code § 1506, or for a new trial, see Cal. Penal Code § 1238 (Deering 1971 & Supp. 1981), there is no provision for appeal by the State from judgments of acquittal.
It is clearly significant that governmental appellate rights are explicitly referred to in the rules of criminal procedure as to pretrial motions, Mass. R. Crim. P. 15, 378 Mass. 882 (1979), or as to orders entered under rule 30, Mass. R. Crim. P. 30 (c) (8), but no such reference is found in the rules as actions taken under rule 25.