Commonwealth v. Lopez
Commonwealth v. Lopez
Opinion of the Court
The defendant appeals from an order revoking his probation and sentencing him to seven to nine years for the crime of armed assault with intent to murder. On appeal, he claims primarily that he received inadequate notice of his final probation revocation hearing. Because the record establishes that the defendant received adequate notice, we affirm.
1. Background. In 2008, the defendant shot a man twice in the chest during an altercation at a baby shower. In 2009, the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple counts, including armed assault with intent to murder, in violation of G. L. c. 265, § 18(b ), assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, in violation of G. L. c. 265, 15A(b ), and various firearms charges.
In May, 2015, after serving his prison sentence and while on probation, the defendant was arrested by the Springfield police for a variety of firearms offenses, following a traffic stop. Thereafter, a final probation violation hearing was scheduled for June 30, 2016. The defendant appeared on that date, with counsel. After an evidentiary hearing the judge found that the defendant had violated his probation by virtue of his alleged firearms offenses, and subsequently sentenced the defendant to seven to nine years in prison for armed assault with intent to murder. The defendant timely appeals.
2. Discussion. The defendant first argues that his due process rights were violated because he did not receive adequate notice of the June 30, 2016, final revocation hearing. His argument focuses on the purported evidence of notice that the Commonwealth adduced at the June 30th hearing, which the Commonwealth presented through the testimony of a probation officer, who testified as keeper of records. The defendant challenges both the foundation for, and the sufficiency of, the Commonwealth's notice evidence.
Since the defendant's liberty was at stake at the probation revocation hearing, he had a constitutional right to receive adequate notice of that hearing. See Commonwealth v. Durling,
Such actual notice satisfies the constitutional notice requirement.
The defendant also argues that the judgment must be reversed because the judge applied the wrong standard-probable cause rather than preponderance of the evidence-in finding a probation violation. The defendant's argument rests entirely on two statements made by defense counsel, not the judge, during defense counsel's final argument at the hearing. The argument is without merit. The judge is presumed to apply the correct standard. See Commonwealth v. Healy,
Order revoking probation affirmed.
Carrying a firearm without a license, in violation of G. L. c. 269, § 10(a ), and possession of ammunition without an FID card, in violation of G. L. c. 269, § 10(h ).
For this reason we need not address the sufficiency of the evidence adduced from the probation officer who testified as a keeper of the records.
After the defendant was advised of the final revocation hearing in court on April 28, 2016, a notice was mailed to him at the "Ludlow HOC," which mistakenly identified the June 30, 2016, date for an "Initial Violation Hearing." Given the clarity of the notice given in court on April 28, the written letter does not affect our analysis. See Commonwealth v. Morse,
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.