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Commonwealth v. Sacco, 151 N. E. 839 (Mass. 1926)

Case (cite)
Commonwealth v. Sacco, 151 N. E. 839 (Mass. 1926)
Year
1926
State
Massachusetts
Type of proceeding
Appellate
Type of claim
Evidentiary
Type of claim (second claim)
Expert evidence ruling reversing or affirming on appeal:
Admitted
What was the ruling?
Correct to Admit
Type of evidence at issue:
Firearms identification
Defense or Prosecution Expert
Both
Name of expert(s) who were the subject of the ruling
Burns, Fitzgerald
Summary of reasons for ruling
Court found no error in the trial judge's decision to admit: A motion founded on affidavits, among them an affidavit by an expert on firearms who had testified for the Commonwealth, as well as a motion based on affidavits by experts tending to show that the revolver found on one of the defendants could not have been the revolver which formerly belonged to the murdered man and that the revolver found on the other defendant could not have discharged the shells found near the scene of the shooting nor the mortal bullet, where it appeared that the judge declined to believe the experts for the defendant [***76] as against the experts for the Commonwealth and the jury's finding.
The jurisdiction’s standard for expert admissibility at the time – list all that apply: (Frye), (Daubert), (Post-2000 Rule 702), (Other)
Second standard
Did lower court hold a hearing
N
Names of prosecution expert(s) two testified at hearing
Names of defense expert(s) who testified at hearing (or None).
Burns, Fitzgerald
Discussion of 2009 NAS Report (NAS2009)
Discussion of 2016 PCAST report (PCAST)
Discussion of error rates / reliability
N
Frye Ruling
N
Limiting testimony ruling
Language imposed by court to limit testimony
Ruling based in prior precedent / judicial notice
N
Daubert ruling emphasizing – which factors – (list 1-5)
Ruling on qualifications of expert
N
Ruling on 702(a) – the expert will help / assist the jury
N
Ruling on 702(b) – the testimony is based on sufficient facts or data
N
Ruling on 702(c) – the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods
N
Ruling on 702(d) – reliable application of principles and methods to the facts of the case
N

Notes