Commonwealth v. Mondollo
Commonwealth v. Mondollo
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The appellant was convicted in the court below of the wilful and deliberate murder of a girl about eighteen
By the first assignment complaint is made of the court’s definition of the words “lying in wait,” as used in our penal code in declaring what constitutes murder of the first degree. Nothing complained of by the first assignment did the prisoner any possible harm, for the jury were given clearly to understand that, though the Commonwealth insisted that his crime was that of wilful, deliberate and premeditated murder, they could not convict him of murder of the first degree unless they found a specific intent on his part at the time of the killing to take life, of which intent his mind was fully con
On this appeal the Commonwealth well contends that the prisoner really made no defense at the trial. That he shot his victim under the circumstances recited is admitted, and he did not deny that he had said to two witnesses that he had returned from the theatre to the restaurant for the purpose of awaiting her return, that he might shoot her. If the court failed to dwell at length on the testimony of several witnesses which counsel for the prisoner seem to think was relevant and important, it was probably for the very good reason that there was nothing in it to help him. The fourth assignment does not seem to be pressed. The question raised by the fifth was passed upon adversely to the appellant in Commonwealth v. Tassone, 246 Pa. 543.
The assignments of error are overruled, the judgment is affirmed and it is ordered that the record be remitted for the purpose of execution.
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- Criminal law — Murder—First degree — Intent—Premeditation— Deliberation — “Lying in wait” — Trials—Charge to jury. On the trial of an indictment for murder where it appeared that the victim, an eighteen years old girl, was employed in a restaurant; that before leaving the restaurant on the evening of the murder she held a conversation with the accused, who followed her and an escort to the theatre; that the accused went inside and a few minutes later left and returned to the restaurant; that when deceased returned she found him sitting at a table and told him to cease bothering her with his attentions, whereupon he arose, drew a revolver from his pocket and shot her twice in the neck, causing her death two days later; and that defendant told two witnesses that he had returned from the theatre to the restaurant for the purpose of awaiting her return and shooting her, the defendant cannot complain of the court’s definition of “lying in wait,” where the jury were given clearly to understand that the Commonwealth could not convict defendant of murder of the first degree unless they found an intent on his part at the time of the killing to take life, of which intent his mind was fully conscious, and for the accomplishment of his purpose there had been sufficient time to lay the plan and select the weapon to carry it into execution; and where there was no other error in the charge of the court, a verdict and judgment of guilty of murder of the first degree were sustained.