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Defense and Commonwealth clash over whether Johnson knew of armed robbery before assisting co‑defendants
Summary
At oral argument in Commonwealth v. Devon Johnson, defense counsel argued the evidence was insufficient to show Johnson had the specific knowledge required for accessory-after-the-fact liability for an alleged armed robbery; the Commonwealth said video, witness testimony and post‑incident conduct supported an inference of knowledge.
Justice Robert Bridal convened argument in Commonwealth v. Devon Johnson in the Appeals Court, where counsel disputed whether the evidence could establish the specific knowledge required for an accessory‑after conviction.
Suzanne Renaud, attorney for Devon Johnson, told the court the Commonwealth’s theory—Johnson knew of a plan to commit an armed robbery before his co‑defendants entered the victim’s home—was “just a theory of the commonwealth, and it's speculative.” Renaud stressed that the statute requires knowledge of the specific crime and said the record shows the visitors said they were going to “buy weed, not to steal it.” She urged the panel that short, reactive acts captured on video—Johnson opening car doors after…
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