Massachusetts Statutes

Section 68. In all cases in which a sentence of death may be imposed, the court shall submit to the jury special questions concerning the issue of murder in the first degree. If the jury determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty of murder in the first degr…

Section 69. (a) In all cases in which the death penalty may be authorized, the statutory aggravating circumstances are: (1) the murder was committed on a victim who was killed while serving in the performance of his official duties as one or more of the following: police officer,…

Section 6A. When a person is sentenced on a first offense to imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for a term which does not exceed one year, the court may order the sentence to be served in whole or in part on weekends and legal holidays or such other periodic interval a…

Section 6B. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:— ''Dependent child'', a person under 18 years of age. ''Primary caretaker of a dependent child'', a parent with whom a child has a primar…

Section 7. Whoever is convicted of a crime punishable by a fine, and is liable to imprisonment in the jail for its non-payment, may be sentenced to such imprisonment in the house of correction, or to confinement at hard labor either in the jail or house of correction.

Section 70. Where, upon a trial by jury, a person is convicted of a crime which is punishable by death, a sentence of death shall not be imposed unless findings in accordance with section sixty-eight are made. Where such findings are made and the jury finds that the death penalty…

Section 71. In addition to review of the entire case pursuant to section thirty-three E of chapter two hundred and seventy-eight, the supreme judicial court shall review the sentence of death imposed pursuant to sections sixty-eight, sixty-nine and seventy of chapter two hundred …

Section 8. A convict upon whom two or more sentences to imprisonment are imposed may be fully committed upon all such sentences at the same time, and shall serve them in the order named in the mittimuses upon which he is committed; but when fine and imprisonment are named in one …

Section 8A. For the purpose only of determining the time of the taking effect of a sentence which is ordered to take effect from and after the expiration of a previous sentence, such previous sentence shall be deemed to have expired when a prisoner serving such previous sentence …

Section 8B. If a defendant on release subject to the provisions of section fifty-eight of chapter two hundred and seventy-six, commits a crime, the sentence imposed for such a crime shall run consecutively to the earlier sentence for the crime for which he was on release.

Section 9. Except as provided in section one hundred and forty-six of chapter one hundred and twenty-seven, if a convict is sentenced to pay a fine in more than one case and has been committed to a jail, house of correction or other prison or other correctional institution for re…

Section 1. Fines and forfeitures exacted as punishments for offences or violation or neglect of any duty imposed by statute may, unless otherwise provided, be prosecuted for and recovered by indictment or complaint or by an action of tort in the name of the commonwealth in a cour…

Section 10. The state treasurer shall pay to the persons entitled therein all witnesses fees or other money due for services rendered or expenses incurred in any of the courts named in section eight, or for any of the aforesaid officers, upon presentation to him of a certificate …

Section 11. Except as otherwise provided in section eighty of chapter two hundred and seventy-six, fines and forfeitures imposed in criminal prosecutions by the superior court to the use of the commonwealth, and all amounts found to be due on forfeited recognizances, shall under …

Section 12. A sheriff who, having a person in his custody by virtue of the sentence of a court, voluntarily or negligently suffers him to escape shall be held to have received the fines, forfeitures or forfeited recognizances described in the preceding section, at the time of the…

Section 13. If a sheriff neglects to make such payment for thirty days, the state treasurer shall recover of him in contract the amount of such fines, forfeitures and forfeited recognizances, with interest at the rate of twelve per cent from the time he is held to have received t…

Section 14. A person committed to a jail or house of correction in default of payment of a fine may pay it to the keeper of the jail or superintendent of the house of correction, and the warrant for his commitment shall designate the town where the offence for which the fine was …

Section 15. Every keeper of a jail and superintendent of a house of correction shall, on the first days of January, April, July and October, pay over to the state treasurer all money received by him under the preceding section during the preceding three months, and render to said…

Section 16. The state treasurer shall pay over to the persons entitled thereto all amounts allowed to them for expenses or fees in criminal prosecutions, or allowed by the courts as rewards or compensations to prosecutors, which have been duly certified by the clerks, if demanded…

Section 2. A fine or forfeiture imposed by a court shall, except as otherwise provided, be paid over to the state treasurer. Twenty per cent of the fines imposed under the provisions of chapter three hundred and fifty-four of the acts of nineteen hundred and fifty-two shall be pa…

Section 3. In proceedings in the name of the commonwealth for the recovery of fines, forfeitures or penalties, the whole or any part of which do not enure to the benefit of the commonwealth, the court may, upon motion of the district attorney, appoint an attorney to conduct the c…

Section 4. Expenses arising in a criminal prosecution, including fees of grand and traverse jurors for travel and attendance therein, shall be paid by the commonwealth. Fees and costs of indigent defendants in criminal prosecutions except attorneys' fees, shall or may be waived o…

Section 5. In a criminal case in which questions of law are carried to the supreme judicial court, the attorney general or district attorney may have necessary copies of the brief for the commonwealth printed, and the expense thereof shall be paid in the same manner as other expe…

Section 6. Costs shall not be imposed by a justice as a penalty for a crime. A justice may, as a condition of the dismissal or placing on file of a complaint or indictment, or as a term of probation, order the defendant to pay the reasonable and actual expenses of the prosecution…

Section 6A. Before imposing a fine or forfeiture as a punishment or part punishment for a crime, the court or justice shall levy as a special cost assessment an amount equal to twenty-five per cent of the fine or forfeiture; provided however, that no special cost assessment shall…

Section 6B. The court shall impose an assessment of not less than thirty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars against any person who has attained the age of 18 years and who is convicted of a misdemeanor or against whom a finding of sufficient facts for a conviction is …

Section 6C. Any assessment imposed pursuant to section six B shall be deposited in the Drug Analysis Fund established by section fifty-one of chapter ten. The proceeds of the fund shall be made available, subject to appropriation, to the department of public health for services p…

Section 7. At the end of every sitting of the superior court for the transaction of criminal business, the clerk shall make and deliver to the state treasurer certificates of all fines imposed by the court, to the use of the commonwealth or to the treasurer of a city or town unde…

Section 8. The clerk of the superior court for the transaction of criminal business for Suffolk county, the clerks of the municipal courts in Boston, the sheriff, superintendent of the house of correction or other officer, except those named in the following section, upon receivi…

Section 9. The clerks of all courts in Suffolk county, except those named in the preceding section, who are required to account to the commonwealth shall, on or before the tenth day of each month, pay over to the state treasurer and account, on oath, for all fines, fees and other…