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DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT FINAL

Commonwealth v. Jordan, 125 N.E.3d 800 (2019)

Citation
Commonwealth v. Jordan, 125 N.E.3d 800 (2019)
Parent Document
Commonwealth v. Jordan, 125 N.E.3d 800 (2019)
Jurisdiction
Massachusetts (state)
Effective Date
2019-05-15

Full Text

689 chars
The defendant relies on the principle of ejusdem generis to posit that, because the statute uses the words "torture," "torment," "beat," "mutilate," and "disable," the words "strike" or "otherwise mistreat," as used in the statute, are intended "to cover serious blows and serious mistreatment, akin to torture and torment." See Commonwealth v. Gallant, 453 Mass. 535, 542 (2009), quoting Powers v. Freetown-Lakeville Regional Sch. Dist. Comm., 392 Mass. 656, 660 (1984) ("The principle of ejusdem generis is a 'rule of construction [that] is employed to ascertain the correct meaning of words by limiting general terms which follow specific ones to matters similar to those specified' ").