| Court: | Supreme Court of Mass |
| Facts: | Deficient fire exits, possible defective wiring, inflammable decorations. Many deaths. |
| Posture: | Appealed, presumably, but the opinion is pretty trimmed down. |
| Issue: | Was the Commonwealth required to prove that the fire was caused by the defendant's reckless conduct? |
| Holding: | No. Affirmed. |
| Rule: | It enough to prove that his disregard for safety was the cause of death. |
| Reasoning: | Willfully causing harm is different from doing so wantonly. Also, a reasonable person would have recognized the danger. This is an example of a commission (or omission where there is a duty to act) that puts people at substantial risk of harm. |
| Dicta: | |