WORCESTER - With COVID-19 leading to a backlog in court cases across the state, local judges and lawyers are grappling with a variety of issues as they consider whether they can try and conduct murder trials this spring.
Concerns about safety, jurors skipping service and the possibility of participants having to wear masks were among potential pitfalls raised Monday as one local judge probed the topic.
Worcester Superior Court Judge Daniel M. Wrenn is calling dozens of pending murder cases in for status hearings this week, telling lawyers he’s working on identifying which cases should be prioritized for possible trials this spring.