Court Considers 911 Call Murder ID

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has affirmed the murder conviction of a man who was identified by the victim during a 911 call minutes before she died of stab wounds. The court considered its precedents in the case, which set out tests for determining if information obtained during a 911 call is “evidentiary” or “testimonial,” and if the victim’s statements were inadmissible heresay. Considering the issues, the court ruled that the victim’s statements were spontaneous, and even though made to an “agent of law enforcement,” it was in response to questions intended to speed a medical response. Download (pdf) the court’s full opinion here.