Commonwealth v. Hoffman
Commonwealth v. Hoffman
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Appellant was indicted for maliciously soliciting and inciting another person to commit sodomy.
We are concerned that a person could be indicted for one offense and convicted of another entirely different crime.
A defendant cannot be convicted and sentenced for a crime of which he is not indicted. Commonwealth v. Lee, 454 Pa. 526, 312 A. 2d 391 (1973). We have no difficulty reversing the lower court decision on this point. Further, we cannot determine from the record if the convictions for solicitation and for corrupting the morals of a minor may have been based on and tainted by the improper conviction for assault. As the possibility for prejudice is very real, we are constrained to reverse those convictions as well. Cf. Commonwealth v. Wadley, 169 Pa. Superior Ct. 490, 83 A. 2d 417 (1951).
The judgment of sentence is reversed and a new trial granted on all charges.
Appellant was also indicted for and convicted of corrupting the morals of a minor.
Although the crime indicted for and the crime convicted of are both defined in the same statute section, they are two different crimes and are not randomly interchangeable. See Act of Juno 24, 1939, P. L. 872, §502 (18 P.S. §4502).
Concurring in Part
Concurring and Dissenting Opinion by
With the granting to the appellant of a new trial on the charge of maliciously soliciting and inciting another person to commit sodomy I concur; however, I respectfully dissent from the granting of a new trial on the charge of corrupting the morals of a minor.
The appellant was indicted upon two charges: (1) Maliciously soliciting and inciting another person to commit sodomy; and (2) Corrupting the morals of a minor. The outside cover of the indictment in which the text charged maliciously soliciting and inciting another person to commit sodomy recited the charge as being assault and solicitation to commit sodomy. The trial judge charged the jury on the crimes of assault and solicitation to commit sodomy and corrupting the morals of a minor, without any objection by the appellant or his counsel. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on both charges. I concur in the action of the majority iu vacating the judgment of sentence on the charge of assault and solicitation to commit sodomy and granting a
I would affirm the judgment of sentence on the charge of corrupting the morals of a minor.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Commonwealth v. Hoffman, Appellant
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published