Title: Com. v. Harner

State: pennsylvania

Issuer: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Document:

377 Pa. Superior Ct. 229 (1988) 546 A.2d 1241 COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania v. Gregory Brent HARNER, Appellant. Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Argued June 14, 1988. Filed August 15, 1988. *231 Elizabeth J. Maitland and Edward J. McCormick, III, Littlestown, for appellant. Roy A. Keefer, Assistant District Attorney, Gettysburg, for Com., appellee. Before CIRILLO, President Judge, WIEAND and DEL SOLE, JJ. WIEAND, Judge: Craig Rice, a student at Gettysburg High School, disappeared after school on November 12, 1985. His body, in various stages of decomposition, was found in a wooded area, near a stream, on March 28, 1986. Gregory Brent *232 Harner, a classmate, was subsequently arrested and charged in separate counts of the same information with first degree murder,[1] third degree murder,[2] voluntary manslaughter committed in the heat of passion,[3] voluntary manslaughter committed in the unreasonable belief that killing was justifiable,[4] and involuntary manslaughter.[5] The jury which heard the evidence found Harner guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the unreasonable belief that the killing was justifiable.[6] Post-trial motions were denied, and Harner was sentenced to serve a term of imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than ten years. On direct appeal, Harner contends that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the jury's verdict, that the trial court committed error in several evidentiary rulings, and that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance. We find no merit in these arguments and affirm the judgment of sentence. Appellant's principal argument is that there was no evidence that he had killed Rice in the unreasonable belief that killing was justified. The Commonwealth agrees that there was no such evidence but argues that there was sufficient evidence to show murder of the first or third degree and that the jury's verdict, therefore, was proper as an exercise of its mercy dispensing power. Appellant counters that recent decisions of the Supreme Court have deprived juries in homicide cases of any mercy dispensing power. He argues that in the absence of evidence to *233 support the jury's verdict he is entitled to be discharged. We reject this argument. The law in this Commonwealth has always been that a conviction for voluntary manslaughter will be upheld as long as the evidence is sufficient to show that the elements of murder were present. Thus, in Commonwealth v. Hoffman, 439 Pa. 348, 266 A.2d 726 (1970), the Supreme Court said: Id., 439 Pa. at 356-359, 266 A.2d at 731-732. See also: Commonwealth v. Whitfield, 474 Pa. 27, 376 A.2d 617 (1977); Commonwealth v. Jones, 457 Pa. 563, 319 A.2d 142, cert. denied, 419 U.S. 1000, 95 S. Ct. 316, 42 L. Ed. 2d 274 (1974); Commonwealth v. Hill, 444 Pa. 323, 281 A.2d 859 (1971); Commonwealth v. Frazier, 420 Pa. 209, 216 A.2d 337 (1966). There is no reason why the rule should be different when voluntary manslaughter occurs because there is an unreasonable belief that killing is justified. *234 In Commonwealth v. Manning, 477 Pa. 495, 384 A.2d 1197 (1978), the Supreme Court held that a defendant in a murder trial was entitled, upon request, to an instruction on unreasonable belief voluntary manslaughter. This rule, however, was short-lived. In Commonwealth v. Carter, 502 Pa. 433, 466 A.2d 1328 (1983), the Supreme Court overruled Manning and held that a defendant was entitled to an unreasonable belief voluntary manslaughter charge only upon request "where the offense has been made an issue in the case, and the trial evidence reasonably would support such a verdict." Id., 502 Pa. at 443, 466 A.2d at 1332-1333 (footnote omitted). The Court reasoned: Commonwealth v. Carter, supra, 502 Pa. at 442-443, 466 A.2d at 1332 (footnote omitted). Appellant argues that with its decision in Carter, the Supreme Court overruled the line of cases holding that a jury has a mercy dispensing power which allows it to reduce a proven murder to voluntary manslaughter. It follows, he suggests, that a conviction for unreasonable belief voluntary manslaughter which is unsupported by the evidence *235 cannot be sustained by evidence of murder. We do not so interpret Carter. In the instant case, the prosecuting attorney had specifically charged appellant, inter alia, with "unreasonable belief" voluntary manslaughter. At trial, after all evidence had been received, the trial court inquired of both counsel whether any charges were to be withdrawn. Defense counsel took the position, as he had done earlier in the trial, that the charge of "unreasonable belief" voluntary manslaughter should not be withdrawn and that the jury should be instructed thereon. Consequently, the jurors were so instructed. They were told that guilty of "unreasonable belief" voluntary manslaughter was a possible verdict which they could return. Appellant cannot complain that the trial court instructed the jury as requested or that the jury returned a verdict which, according to the court's instructions, was a permissible verdict. The decision in Carter does not require a different result. That decision held only that a defendant is not entitled to an instruction on "unreasonable belief" voluntary manslaughter unless such a verdict would find support in the evidence. In the instant case, however, appellant had been charged specifically with "unreasonable belief" voluntary manslaughter, did not want the charge withdrawn, and requested the trial court to instruct the jury thereon. Carter did not hold, at least under these circumstances, that a jury could not return a verdict finding the defendant guilty of voluntary manslaughter so long as the evidence was such that the jury could have found the defendant guilty of murder. If the elements of murder were present, a verdict of guilty of voluntary manslaughter was neither arbitrary nor unsupported. See: Commonwealth v. Hill, supra, 444 Pa. at 326, 281 A.2d at 860. Therefore, we must examine the evidence to determine whether it was sufficient to support a finding of murder. In making this examination, we determine whether, "viewing all of the evidence admitted at trial, together with all reasonable inferences therefrom, in the light most favorable *236 to the Commonwealth, the trier of fact could have found that each element of the offense[] [of murder] was supported by evidence and inferences sufficient in law to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." Commonwealth v. Jackson, 506 Pa. 469, 472-473, 485 A.2d 1102, 1103 (1984). Moreover, "[w]hen conflicts and discrepancies arise, it is within the province of the jury to determine the weight to be given each testimony and to believe all, part, or none of the evidence as [it] deem[s] appropriate." Commonwealth v. Verdekal, 351 Pa.Super. 412, 419-420, 506 A.2d 415, 419 (1986). When Rice's body was found, police conducted an upstream search on the theory that the body may have been carried downstream during the winter. In a shed on land adjoining the Harner residence, where appellant was shown to have played, police found a white garbage bag containing bloodstained clothing. A similar bag, sans clothing, was later found in the trunk of a Harner vehicle. Analysis of the bloodstains on the clothing established that the blood was human and had come from a type A secreter. Rice had been a blood type A secreter. Hair found on the clothing was similar to hair samples taken from appellant. Partially concealing the clothing had been a cardboard box which, by virtue of its markings, was traced to the Harner residence, where it had served as a container for Mustang automobile parts. The cardboard box contained bulletholes, and there was evidence that it had been used for target practice by members of the Harner family prior to Rice's disappearance. Although the clothing could not be specifically traced to Harner, the trousers were shown to be the same size, style, and lot number as other trousers worn by appellant. There was also testimony that the shirt was similar to a shirt which had been worn by appellant. Rice's death had been caused by a gunshot wound to the head. The bullet had been fired from a Colt .22 caliber revolver registered to Harner's father. This gun was available to Greg Harner. Indeed, appellant, himself, conceded that he had had the gun in his car several days before *237 Rice's disappearance. Ballistic tests demonstrated unequivocally that the revolver had been the murder weapon. On November 20, 1985, Rice's wallet had been found in a trash receptacle in an area where appellant regularly attended class. Appellant had been the last person to see Rice alive. After school on the day of his disappearance, Rice had been a passenger in appellant's car. Appellant's initial version of the incident was that he and Rice had been followed by another car, which had pulled in behind him when Harner left Rice at a Honda shop. Shortly before trial, appellant gave the representatives of the Commonwealth a different statement. In this statement he said that he had loaned his father's gun to a friend who wanted to teach Rice a lesson. He also said that he had been present when Rice was killed. On the farm where Rice's body was subsequently discovered, he had observed Rice, naked on the ground, being punished by a group of persons for being a "snitch." A member of the group, whom appellant identified, had allegedly shot Rice in the back of the head, had castrated him on the left side, and had thrown a bag containing clothing and the gun at appellant's feet. Appellant had retrieved the gun and discarded the bag of clothing. He had not gone to the police, he said, because he didn't think they would believe his story. When Rice's body was found, the left side of his body was so badly deteriorated that appellant's description of partial castration could not be verified or contradicted. Other parts of appellant's version, however, were rebutted by Commonwealth witnesses. The Commonwealth's evidence, although circumstantial, was sufficient to support a finding that Rice had been murdered by appellant. The Commonwealth's evidence, if believed, showed that Rice had been killed by a bullet to the back of the head, which had been fired from appellant's gun, at a place and under circumstances with which appellant had been familiar. The evidence of appellant's conduct thereafter was sufficient to permit an inference of guilty *238 knowledge on the part of appellant. Because the evidence was sufficient to support a finding that Rice had been murdered by appellant, the trial court properly refused to arrest judgment on the jury's verdict finding appellant guilty of voluntary manslaughter. We reject appellant's contention that trial counsel was ineffective for allowing the "unreasonable belief" voluntary manslaughter charge to be given to the jury. This was a matter of trial strategy, and was designed to serve appellant's interests by establishing a "safety net." In view of our finding that sufficient evidence was presented to convict appellant of murder, trial counsel was not ineffective when he asked the trial court to instruct the jury regarding a possible finding that appellant had committed the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter. Appellant contends that the trial court erred by allowing the bloodstained clothing to be received in evidence. Prior to the start of trial, appellant made an oral motion in limine to exclude the clothing. The following occurred: "`Evidence is relevant if it tends to make more or less probable the existence of some fact material to the case, it tends to establish facts in issue or when it in some degree advances the inquiry and thus has probative value.'" Commonwealth v. Delligatti, 371 Pa.Super. 315, 332, 538 A.2d 34, 42 (1988), quoting Commonwealth v. Shain, 324 Pa.Super. 456, 462-463, 471 A.2d 1246, 1249 (1984). "[I]t is not necessary that each piece of evidence be connected to the appellant beyond a reasonable doubt. It is enough that a combination of evidence implicates him in the crime beyond a reasonable doubt." Commonwealth v. Mangus, 229 Pa. Super. 29, 33, 323 A.2d 398, 400 (1974). See also: Commonwealth v. McIntyre, 451 Pa. 42, 301 A.2d 832 (1973); Commonwealth v. Petrisko, 442 Pa. 575, 275 A.2d 46 (1971). The bloodstained clothing in this case was found in a shed, which appellant was known to frequent, located in close proximity to land owned by appellant's parents. It was partially covered by part of a cardboard box which had contained an automobile part previously delivered to appellant. The clothing was appellant's size and was similar to other clothing which he owned. The bloodstains had been made by blood of the same type as that of the decedent. Under these circumstances the clothing was a relevant fact to be considered by the jury. The fact that the clothing could not be traced directly to appellant (or the decedent) was a factor to be considered by the jury in determining the weight to be accorded the evidence, but it did not render the evidence inadmissible. See: Commonwealth v. Costanzo, 269 Pa.Super. 413, 418-419, 410 A.2d 324, 326 (1979). See also: Commonwealth v. Ford, 451 Pa. 81, 301 A.2d 856 (1973); Commonwealth v. Simpson, 302 Pa.Super. 287, 448 A.2d 640 (1982); Commonwealth v. Mangus, supra. The *242 trial court did not err when it allowed the jury to consider the evidence. Appellant's argument that Michael Cooper's testimony was improper because it permitted an inference of homosexuality is simply not warranted. Its role was described by the trial court as follows: (Trial Court Opinion at p. 14). If Cooper's testimony was irrelevant, it was also so insignificant as to be harmless. The testimony of Phillip Hill, which appellant now contends was irrelevant, was not the subject of a defense objection at trial. This issue, therefore, has been waived. See: Commonwealth v. Berrios, 495 Pa. 444, 434 A.2d 1173 (1981); Commonwealth v. Kuterbach, 458 Pa. 318, 326 A.2d 283 (1974); Commonwealth v. White, 366 Pa.Super. 538, 531 A.2d 806 (1987). Appellant's final version of Rice's mishap was communicated to defense counsel shortly before trial. Defense counsel thereafter communicated this information to the police and allowed appellant to be questioned by the police. Appellant, represented post-trial by new counsel, argues that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance by communicating his defense to the police and by permitting the police to interrogate appellant with respect thereto. *243 The trial court disagreed and concluded that trial counsel had not been constitutionally ineffective. In evaluating claims of ineffective assistance of counsel we utilize the following approach: Commonwealth v. House, 371 Pa.Super. 23, 28, 537 A.2d 361, 363 (1988). Moreover, Commonwealth v. Dunbar, 503 Pa. 590, 596, 470 A.2d 74, 77 (1983). See also: Commonwealth v. Garcia, 370 Pa.Super. 132, 535 A.2d 1186 (1988); Commonwealth v. Nauman, 345 Pa.Super. 457, 498 A.2d 913 (1985). At a post-trial hearing, appellant's trial counsel explained his reasons for allowing appellant to be questioned by police as follows: The trial judge, who heard the testimony and observed counsel, assessed defense counsel's strategy as follows: We have no reason to disagree with the trial court's assessment of defense counsel's strategy. That strategy was carefully calculated to minimize the effect of appellant's *246 earlier statements and his delay in coming forward promptly with the version on which he based his defense. By announcing that defense prior to trial and by thereby implicating others, appellant's counsel was able to move to the offensive and focus attention on other potential killers. The strength thereof was enhanced by the fact that he had submitted to interrogation by the police. This strategy, being reasonably calculated to serve appellant's interest, did not render counsel constitutionally ineffective. The judgment of sentence is affirmed. [1] 18 Pa.C.S. § 2502(a). [2] 18 Pa.C.S. § 2502(c). [3] 18 Pa.C.S. § 2503(a). [4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 2503(b). [5] 18 Pa.C.S. § 2504. [6] This offense is defined at 18 Pa.C.S. § 2503(b) as follows: (b) Unreasonable belief killing justifiable. A person who intentionally or knowingly kills an individual commits voluntary manslaughter if at the time of the killing he believes the circumstances to be such that, if they existed, would justify the killing under Chapter 5 of this title (relating to general principles of justification), but his belief is unreasonable.