Court Opinion

ID: 9743732
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:41:46.228725+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:43.165570
License: Public Domain

Cutter, J.
(dissenting). I dissent (on the issue of the adequacy of the colloquy on the waiver of jury trial) for substantially the reasons stated in my dissent in Commonwealth v. Schofield, ante at 206. Here the jury waiver colloquy by the trial judge was not as extended as in the Scho-field case. It is an understatement to say that Mrs. DeStefano’s defense trial counsel was no novice in criminal litigation. The trial judge (here also with an academic background) brought out that the defendant had been advised by her counsel. I see no reason for any second guessing by the trial judge about the trial tactics of proceeding without a jury, doubtless carefully considered by Mrs. De-Stefano’s experienced counsel and discussed fully with his client.