Commonwealth v. Coleman
Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
747 N.E.2d 666 (2001)
Relevant factsFree
After being attacked outside a nightclub, Coleman (defendant) extricated himself from the brawl, retrieved a gun from a nearby vehicle, and shot the unarmed victim who had followed him, firing a second time once the victim was already on the ground; Coleman was convicted of first-degree murder with deliberate premeditation, and the trial court denied his motions to set aside the verdict or reduce it to manslaughter.
IssueFree
Whether, under state law, deliberate premeditation requires that the defendant's decision to kill be a result of cool reflection.