Case ID: a3d_202/html/0045-04.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "PER CURIAM.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Respondent v. James Calvin HAMLETT, Jr., Petitioner
    No. 391 WAL 2018
    Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
    February 13, 2019
    ORDER
   PER CURIAM.

AND NOW, this 13th day of February, 2019, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal is GRANTED. The issue, rephrased for clarity is:

Can the tension between the well-settled rule that the Commonwealth bears the burden of demonstrating harmless error beyond a reasonable doubt and the contradictory principle that an appellate court has the ability to affirm a valid judgment or verdict for any reason appearing as of record be reconciled? If these conflicting principles must be reconciled in favor of the Commonwealth proving harmlessness beyond a reasonable doubt, did the Superior Court err in finding harmless error sua sponte?