In oral argument in Commonwealth v. Watson, attorneys disputed whether chapter 278Aa post-conviction forensic-testing statuteapplies only to biologically testable evidence like DNA or also to historical cell-phone data that defense counsel says could show witness perjury.

The Supreme Judicial Court heard argument over whether the Commonwealth may order a psychiatric examination of Germaine Berry as part of a post‑conviction Perez resentencing proceeding. Defense counsel argued that compelled psychiatric testing at this stage would violate Berry’s rights against compelled self‑incrimination and privacy and that pre‑/