Massachusetts’ top court rules murder suspect can claim self-defense to justify killing innocent bystander

Massachusetts’ top court rules murder suspect can claim self-defense to justify killing innocent bystander

A murder suspect can claim self-defense to justify killing an innocent bystander, the state’s highest court has ruled. The Supreme Judicial Court took up the Western Mass homicide case from 2023 involving a deadly shooting at the Holyoke Mall. The innocent bystander at the mall was tragically killed when the defendant — involved in an altercation with another person — fired two gunshots at his opponent. As cops responded and rushed past fleeing …