Opinion
No. 12–P–1964.
2014-04-17
COMMONWEALTH v. Enzo RIVERS.
The judge then required sequestered witnesses to leave the courtroom as permitted by Mass.R.Crim.P. 21, 378 Mass. 892 (1979). 2 See Commonwealth v. Jones, 71 Mass.App.Ct. 568, 571 (2008) (exclusion of sequestered witnesses does not constitute courtroom closure). As to the plea hearing, the defendant does not identify any other individual who was excluded from the courtroom. Rather than violating the defendant's right to a public trial, the plea judge effectively safeguarded that right.