Lucien v. Spencer

The First Circuit affirmed the district court’s denial of Defendant’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. 2254, thus affirming Defendant’s convictions, entered after a jury trial, of first-degree murder, two counts of armed robbery, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. The court held (1) any error in the trial court’s admission into evidence of a plea agreement made by a government witness did not cause Defendant the type of prejudice that would warrant habeas relief; (2) the district court’s jury instructions on the elements of felony murder were proper under Massachusetts law; and (3) trial counsel provided constitutionally effective assistance. View "Lucien v. Spencer" on Justia Law