Commonwealth v. Powell
Commonwealth v. Powell
Dissenting Opinion
Dissenting Opinion by
While I can agree with the majority that in context the trial court’s charge was not a comment upon the guilt of the accused, I must again note my disagreement with the proposition that a trial judge may
I must dissent, however, on an issue not discussed in the majority opinion. The appellant contends that it was error for the trial judge to remove from the range of verdicts the jury might return the verdict of involuntary manslaughter. We have recently held that a defendant is entitled to a charge on voluntary manslaughter where there is some evidence which could support such a verdict. Commonwealth v. Pavillard, 421 Pa. 571, 576, 220 A. 2d 807, 810 (1966). I believe that a like rule should apply to the question of whether defendant was entitled to an involuntary manslaughter instruction when indicted and tried for such a charge.
Appellant here contended that the killing was a result of his efforts to defend himself. He stated that he was accosted by six or seven men who attempted to rob him and that, while in flight, he turned and fired several shots into the group. Involuntary manslaugh
The Commonwealth argues that involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor, is not a permissible verdict under a murder indictment and that further it is improper to include both murder and involuntary manslaughter in the same indictment. See Commonwealth v. Palermo, 368 Pa. 28, 81 A. 2d 540 (1951). I disagree, for Pa. R. Crim. P. 219(a) (effective January 1, 1965) clearly allows joinder of a count of involuntary manslaughter in a murder indictment; in any event, I fail to see the relevancy of this argument.. Appellant was indicted and brought to trial on two indictments—one for murder and one for involuntary manslaughter. Under these circumstances, I believe that if there is evidence to support an involuntary manslaughter verdict, an accused is entitled to an instruction.
I dissent.
Compare Commonwealth v. Raymond, 412 Pa. 194, 194 A. 2d 150 (1963), cert. denied, 377 U.S. 999, 84 S. Ct. 1930 (1964) and Commonwealth v. Moyer, 357 Pa. 181, 53 A. 2d 736 (1947) with Commonwealth v. Lucier, 424 Pa. 47, 225 A. 2d 890 (1967), Commonwealth v. Young, 418 Pa. 359, 211 A. 2d 440 (1965) and Commonwealth v. Ott, 417 Pa. 269, 207 A. 2d 874 (1965).
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
This is an appeal from the Judgment of Sentence entered on a conviction of voluntary manslaughter after a jury trial which lasted two days. The crime for which defendant was convicted occurred on July 10, 1965. Defendant was arrested on August 20, 1966, and pleaded not guilty to the indictments charging him with the murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter of Dicky Willmore.
The most important contention made by defendant in this appeal is that the trial Judge abused his discretion in refusing to grant defendant’s motion for sequestration of three out of the four Commonwealth witnesses. We note at the outset that two of the witnesses whom defendant requested to be sequestered had testified at a preliminary hearing, as well as at a habeas corpus hearing. The notes of both hearings were available to defendant and his counsel at trial. The
In Commonwealth v. Kravitz, 400 Pa. 198, 161 A. 2d 861, in discussing the question of sequestration, we said (pages 217-218): “In nearly every criminal.and civil case, one side or the other would like to have some or all of the witnesses of his opponent sequestered. The lack of adequate room space, the long delays which would inevitably be caused by sequestration and other practical considerations, make sequestration of witnesses ordinarily impractical or inadvisable, except in unusual circumstances.
Moreover, the record indicates that the proposed witnesses to be sequestered did not “mold” or “shape” their testimony to coincide with that of the witness preceding them, nor indeed was there, as defendant contends, repetitive or harmonious testimony elicited from the various witnesses. There is not the slightest merit in appellant’s contention of an abuse of discretion on the part of the trial Judge in refusing to allow the sequestration of the aforesaid witnesses.
Appellant next contends that the trial Judge in his charge to the jury committed reversible error when he commented on the fact that defendant was a fugitive from justice, and that the jury could infer guilt from this fact. Defendant argues that the statement was
We have considered all of the remaining contentions of the defendant and find them to be totally without any merit.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
“A request for sequestration of a witness or witnesses should he specific and should he supported by some reason or reasons demonstrating that the interests of justice require it.”
Dissenting Opinion
Dissenting Opinion by
I dissent on the ground that when the trial court, in its instructions to the jury commented upon the fact that Powell had been a fugitive from justice and stated that the jury could infer guilt from such fact, such comment and statement constituted reversible error. I believe such comment falls within the proscription of Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct. 1602 (1966), as to the introduction into evidence of tacit admissions. See: Commonwealth ex rel. Shadd v. Myers, 423 Pa. 82, 85, 223 A. 2d 296 (1966).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Commonwealth v. Powell, Appellant
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published