Raftery v. State Board of Retirement

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that forfeiture of pension benefits required by state law when a state employee is convicted of violating laws applicable to his office did not violate the excessive fines or “cruel or unusual” punishment clause. Also held that U.S. Supreme Court’s multifactor disproportionality analysis under the 8th Amendment excessive fines provision should be adopted for purposes of the state excessive fines clause.