Case Title: Com. v. Mills

Citation: 332 Pa. Super. 75, 480 A.2d 1192

Docket Number: 

State: pennsylvania

Court: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Date: 1984-07-27T00:00:00Z

Document:
332 Pa. Superior Ct. 75 (1984) 480 A.2d 1192 COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania v. Richard MILLS, Appellant. Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Submitted April 16, 1984. Filed July 27, 1984. *78 Michael R. Kostelansky, Wilkes-Barre, for appellant. Joseph Giebus, Assistant District Attorney, Wilkes-Barre, for Commonwealth, appellee. Before MONTEMURO, CERCONE and HESTER, JJ. HESTER, Judge: On November 10, 1980, appellant was adjudged guilty of robbery, theft and conspiracy. Timely post-verdict motions *79 were filed and denied, and appellant was sentenced to a period of incarceration of not less than five nor more than ten years on his robbery conviction. Regarding his conspiracy and theft convictions, appellant received a cumulative seven year probationary term which was to be consecutive to his robbery conviction. This probationary sentence was apportioned as a five year period on his conspiracy conviction and a two year term on his theft conviction. It is from this judgment of sentence that appellant has appealed. The Commonwealth's evidence is as follows: On July 8, 1980, at approximately 1:15 a.m., Thomas Fontana was awakened by pounding upon the door of his room at the Imperial Motor Inn in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Upon opening the door to investigate the origin of the noise, he found appellant pointing a knife at him in a menacing fashion. Fontana immediately moved back into his room, whereupon appellant and his co-conspirator, Lisa Nelson, entered and forced Mr. Fontana back to the side of his bed. Appellant then demanded, "Where's your money? Where's your wallet?" In response to this threat, Fontana pointed to his wallet which was in his trouser's pocket. At this juncture, appellant made several thrusts toward Fontana with the knife, making threats to the effect that he "would really like" to stab Fontana. While appellant continued to threaten Fontana, Ms. Nelson placed the wallet containing $46.00 and the victim's keys into her purse. Appellant then said to Fontana, "Come on, I know you have more. Where is it?" So as to force the issue, appellant kicked Fontana in the stomach. At this point, Fontana pleaded to both appellant and his co-conspirator, "Please, leave me alone. If I had any more money I'd give it to you, but I don't. So take what is there and leave, please." Appellant and Ms. Nelson subsequently left the room. Appellant raises several issues on appeal: 1) whether the evidence was sufficient to sustain his convictions for robbery, theft and conspiracy; 2) whether his trial counsel was ineffective for not calling his co-conspirator, Lisa Nelson, to testify on his behalf; 3) whether the trial court erred in *80 allegedly not providing an adequate basis for his sentence, and also whether appellant's sentence was illegal and excessive; and 4) whether his convictions for robbery and theft should have merged for sentencing purposes. Regarding appellant's sufficiency arguments, our Supreme Court has stated: Commonwealth v. Rose, 463 Pa. 264, 267-78, 344 A.2d 824, 825-56 (1975). Having summarized the evidence using the Rose standard, we will now apply the law as it pertains to this issue. Robbery is defined in 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701 as follows: Appellant contends that the Commonwealth did not prove that he threatened or put Mr. Fontana in fear of immediate serious bodily injury. 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701(a)(1)(ii). We disagree. The evidence indicates that appellant made several thrusts with his knife toward the victim and in the process of making these thrusts, he used several threats that he "would really like" to stab the victim. We find this argument to be meritless. As to appellant's conspiracy conviction, in order for appellant to be convicted of conspiracy, the Commonwealth must prove his involvement in an agreement to accomplish a criminal objective and the commission of an overt act in pursuance of the conspiracy. 18 Pa.C.S. § 903. In Commonwealth v. Henderson, 249 Pa.Super. 472, 483, 378 A.2d 393, 398 (1977), we stated that: Certainly, the evidence in the present case inferentially establishes a conspiracy between appellant and Ms. Nelson. First, appellant, after severely damaging Fontana's motel room door, entered the room brandishing a knife followed closely by Ms. Nelson. Appellant then demanded, "Where's *82 your money? Where's your wallet?" At this point, while appellant held Fontana at bay, Ms. Nelson took Fontana's wallet and his keys and put them in her purse. This claim is meritless. Appellant challenges his theft conviction under 18 Pa.C.S. § 306(f)(2) which states: Appellant specifically alleges that since the elements of his alleged theft by unlawful taking are the same elements involved in his robbery conviction, the above section applies so that appellant should not have been charged with both theft and robbery. Appellant's argument is a misinterpretation of this statute in that appellant can be convicted as an accomplice of both theft and robbery even though they are based upon the same factual situation, but can only be sentenced on the greater offense. Appellant's argument is really an argument of merger. The proper interpretation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 306(f)(2) is found in our decision, Commonwealth v. Brown, 245 Pa.Super. 134, 135, 369 A.2d 329, 330 (1976). The facts therein are as follows: We stated the following interpretation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 306(f)(2) in ruling that Ms. MacNeil was not an accomplice in the offense of hindering apprehension: Id., 245 Pa.Super. at 136-37, 369 A.2d at 330-31. Based upon this interpretation of Section 306(f)(2), we find appellant's argument meritless. Appellant next claims that his trial counsel was ineffective for not having his co-conspirator testify on his behalf at trial. Appellant contends that Ms. Nelson would have testified that he merely entered Mr. Fontana's room to rescue Ms. Nelson from an assault by Fontana. Our Supreme Court first enunciated the standard against which trial counsel's actions are to be judged in Commonwealth ex rel. Washington v. Maroney, 427 Pa. 599, 604, 235 A.2d 349, 352 (1967), where the court stated: Also, Maroney continues that: The United States Supreme Court recently held in Strickland v. Washington, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 2064, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674, 692 (1984), that to succeed with a claim of counsel's "actual ineffectiveness" a criminal defendant must show that: The problem in this case, as in most cases where the claim of ineffectiveness is raised on direct appeal, is that we have before us no record of any hearing at which is delineated trial counsel's reasons for taking the steps later challenged. *85 See Commonwealth v. Turner, 469 Pa. 319, 365 A.2d 847 (1976). Where, as here, it is impossible to tell from the record why Ms. Nelson was not called to testify, we must remand for an evidentiary hearing, at which time trial counsel may state his reasons for having chosen this particular course if, in fact, it was his decision. Commonwealth v. Turner, supra. By doing this, we in no way are asserting that counsel was ineffective for not calling Ms. Nelson to testify. Only the trial court can determine that, since the issue here is one of credibility between Fontana, appellant and Ms. Nelson. Further, at the ineffectiveness hearing, the lower court can itself hear Nelson's testimony, observe her, and decide whether her testimony would have offered appellant a potential for success substantially greater than not calling her. Moreover, the court, by hearing counsel's reasons, will be able to determine whether appellant's trial counsel's strategy had some reasonable basis. Appellant next advances several arguments that his sentence was illegal and invalid. First, appellant contends that his counsel was not allowed to present mitigating evidence on his behalf. We find no merit in this allegation. The lower court simply stated that it disagreed with trial counsel's argument that appellant's involvement in the criminal episode was relatively minor. Appellant next asserts that the lower court failed to properly enunciate its reasons for sentencing him. We have stated that the sentencing court's reasons may not be of such "brevity and conclusory quality [that] they do not manifest a consideration of the statutory guidelines imposed." Commonwealth v. Wicks, 265 Pa.Super. 305, 313, 401 A.2d 1223, 1227 (1979). See Commonwealth v. Riggins, 474 Pa. 115, 377 A.2d 140 (1977); Commonwealth v. Stafford, 313 Pa.Super. 231, 459 A.2d 824 (1983).[1] These *86 reasons "should reflect the judge's consideration not only of those sentencing criteria enumerated in the Sentencing Code [42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9701, et seq.] . . . but also the circumstances of the offense and the character of the offender . . . [citations omitted]." Commonwealth v. Aldinger, 292 Pa. Super. 149, 156, 436 A.2d 1196, 1199 (1981). Judge (now President Judge) Spaeth has characterized the sentencing judge's responsibilities as being two-fold: Commonwealth v. Edward, 303 Pa.Super. 454, 472, 450 A.2d 15, 23-24 (1982) (citations omitted). The policy underlying the requirement that the sentencing judge state of record the reasons for the sentence is found in the need to make public "the thought process by which he arrives at a particular appropriate sentence." Commonwealth v. O'Brien, 282 Pa.Super. 193, 196, 422 A.2d 894, 895 (1980); See also Commonwealth v. Stafford, supra. By affording appellate courts some basis upon which to fully comprehend and fairly review the actions of the sentencing court, this directive acts as a shield against arbitrary sentencing decisions while, at the same time, discourages the entertainment of improper or irrelevant factors. Commonwealth v. Kraft, 294 Pa.Super. 599, 602, 440 A.2d 627, 630 (1982); Commonwealth v. Stafford, supra. *87 Although our courts have never required that the statement of reasons cite to specific language of the Sentencing Code, Commonwealth v. Wicks, supra, it should, nonetheless, evince the court's reflection on the standards mentioned in the Code and should contain "some explanation of how consideration of those guidelines affected the determination of sentence." Commonwealth v. O'Brien, supra, 282 Pa.Superior Ct. at 197, 422 A.2d at 896, quoting Commonwealth v. Wareham, 259 Pa.Super. 527, 534, 393 A.2d 951, 954 (1978). The lower court's statement of reasons for its sentence is as follows: Here, even though the lower court indicated that it considered the nature and circumstances of the crimes, the history, character and condition of appellant, and appellant's presentence report, we are unpersuaded that these remarks constitute a statement of reasons which comports in quality and length with that envisioned by the drafters of the Sentencing Code. See Commonwealth v. Wicks, supra. Thus, we are required to remand this case for resentencing. As to appellant's contention that his sentence is excessive, this allegation is meritless. Also, regarding the additional *88 issue raised by appellant alleging that his presentence report was inaccurate and thus appellant's trial counsel was ineffective, appellant, at his next sentencing hearing, will have an opportunity to correct any alleged inaccuracies in the report. Appellant's final issue concerns whether his theft conviction should merge with his robbery conviction for sentencing purposes. The facts constituting the theft conviction are the same as those involved with his robbery conviction; therefore, appellant's theft conviction does merge with his robbery conviction for sentencing purposes. Commonwealth v. Moore, 300 Pa.Super. 488, 446 A.2d 960 (1982). Since appellant received a two-year probationary period for theft which is to be served consecutive to his robbery sentence, the lower court will correct this sentence at the time of appellant's new sentencing proceedings. Affirmed in part; reversed in part; judgment of sentence vacated and the case is remanded for a hearing on the ineffectiveness claim. If the hearing court does not find counsel to be ineffective and a new trial warranted, then the sentencing judge will conduct proceedings consistent with the dictates of this Opinion. Jurisdiction is relinquished. [1] In Stafford, supra, the following comprised the court's statement of reasons and was held by this Court to lack sufficient specificity: "I have considered all that [i.e. remarks of counsel] and I've considered the entire presentence investigation and have noted an extensive record, especially juvenile record of this individual and any robbery . . . it's hitting somebody or tapping somebody is not the best thing. The sentence of the court on all these charges. . . ."