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Man who was sentenced to life for 2012 murder outside a Roxbury bar gets to stay in prison

A man convicted of first-degree murder for the death of a rival gang member on Burrell Street in Roxbury on Feb. 23, 2011 got a fair trial and will spend the rest of his life in prison without chance of parole, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled today.

Lawyers for Jason Barbosa argued, in part, that his conviction should be overturned because prosecutors provided evidence that supported two seemingly incompatible theories - that Barbosa was the actual shooter, rather than another man who drove him away from the scene - and that Barbosa was a "joint venturer" - somebody who was actively involved in planning the murder but may not have pulled the trigger. In Massachusetts, somebody accused of actively helping to plan a murder can be found guilty of murder.

The state's highest court ruled it didn't matter because prosecutors presented strong enough evidence to convince the jury that, one way or another, Barbosa had something to do with Depina's death.

The justices pointed to the ongoing feud between the two men's gangs in general and Barbosa's hostility against Depina in particular - including on the night of the murder, when Barbosa spotted him outside a Burrell Street bar and threatened him, then returned later. Also incriminating: GPS bracelet Barbosa was wearing that tied him to the murder scene.

Barbosa had a long record and himself survived three shootings, including one in the 2007 shootout that killed visiting Kentucky college student Chiara Levin.

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Comments

Young black and brown men continue to throw their lives away and for what reason? There's a conversation that needs to be had in the inner city and less well-off neighborhoods that I think many people aren't ready for. Blaming 'whitey' only goes so far and I think it's time we talk about taking ownership of our plight in life.

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conversation you might not be ready for, It starts with "Fuck You!"

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Woke up on the wrong side of the bed huh?

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No, just don't like the broad stokes with your high and mighty paintbrush.

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With most of my friends and family still there, I am far from using a broad paintbrush to paint anyone. Just speaking from my personal experiences.

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Then say that from the beginning

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My comment didn't need a qualifier that said I'm black and of the community that I was talking about.

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I think its funny that the commenter above that was arguing with you only thinks your comment is valid if you're black.

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dd88 stfu, I personally don't have a problem acknowledge, I am an African-American living in the Dorchester and Boston's "InnerCity " all my life. Maybe it is important that you know I am an African-American it only enhances the validation of my comments and the earlier identical.

Personally I don't care who makes the comment, I don't care what were their sexual orientation or the color of the skin. The statement is valid and very much true. Us, African-American and people of color need to place some high priority and solutions on crimes against each other. Don't get mad at because someone speaks the truth who cares what the color is where they come from any and everybody could make that statement.

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You said African-American 3 times... I highly doubt you are...

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Good News for peaceful citizens, bad news for him.

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