J-S23004-15

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION – SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P 65.37

*Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF

: PENNSYLVANIA

Appellee :

:

v. :

:

KARIM McCREA, :

:

Appellant : No. 2398 EDA 2013

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence November 16, 2012,

Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County,

Criminal Division at No. CP-51-CR-0000429-2011

BEFORE: DONOHUE, SHOGAN and STRASSBURGER*, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY DONOHUE, J.: FILED JUNE 10, 2015

Karim McCrea (“McCrea”) appeals from the judgment of sentence 

entered following his convictions of murder in the first degree and 

possessing instruments of crime (“PIC”).1 Following our review, we affirm 

McCrea’s convictions but remand for resentencing. 

The basic facts underlying these convictions are as follows. On the 

evening of June 11, 2010, Elijah Owens (“Victim”) was shot and killed in a 

driveway behind 6908 N. 19th Street in the City of Philadelphia. Two men, 

Nathaniel Alston and William Grier, saw McCrea shoot Victim. McCrea 

immediately fled the scene. The first police officers to respond to the scene 

of the crime transported Victim to the hospital, where he was pronounced 

dead. 

 

1 18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 2502(a), 907. 
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At the conclusion of a jury trial, McCrea was convicted of the crimes 

mentioned above. The trial court imposed the mandatory sentence of life in 

prison on the first-degree murder conviction and a concurrent sentence of 

two and a half to five years on the PIC conviction. McCrea did not file postsentence motions or a direct appeal. He subsequently filed a petition 

pursuant to the Post-Conviction Relief Act (“PCRA”), seeking the 

reinstatement of his direct appeal rights.2 The trial court granted his petition 

and this appeal followed. 

McCrea presents two issues for our review:

1. Is [McCrea] entitled to an arrest of judgment of 

all charged where the verdict is not supported by 

sufficient evidence? 

2. Is [McCrea] entitled to a new trial on all charges 

where the verdict is against the weight of the 

evidence? 

McCrea’s Brief at 3. 

We begin with the second issue, in which McCrea attempts to raise of 

claim that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence. “[A] weight of 

the evidence claim must be preserved either in a post-sentence motion, by a 

written motion before sentencing, or orally prior to sentencing. Failure to 

properly preserve the claim will result in waiver, even if the trial court 

addresses the issue in its opinion.” Commonwealth v. Thompson, 93 

 

2 McCrae did not seek to file a post-sentence motion nunc pro tunc. See 

Counseled [PCRA] Petition Seeking to Reinstate Appellate Rights[] Nunc Pro 

Tunc Due to Administrative Oversight in Law Office, 5/7/13. 
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A.3d 478, 490 (Pa. Super. 2014) (internal citations omitted); see also

Pa.R.Crim.P. 607. The record reveals that McCrea did not file a postsentence motion or otherwise preserve this issue in the court below. 

Accordingly, he has waived it for purposes of appeal. 

In his remaining issue, McCrea argues that the evidence was 

insufficient to support his convictions. When reviewing a sufficiency of the 

evidence claim, “we must determine whether the evidence admitted at trial, 

as well as all reasonable inferences drawn therefrom, when viewed in the 

light most favorable to the verdict winner, are sufficient to support all 

elements of the offense.” Commonwealth v. Cox, 72 A.3d 719, 721 (Pa. 

Super. 2013) (quoting Commonwealth v. Koch, 39 A.3d 996, 1001 (Pa. 

Super. 2011)). When performing this review, “we may not reweigh the 

evidence or substitute our own judgment for that of the fact finder.” Id. 

The Commonwealth may rely solely on circumstantial evidence to support a 

conviction, and the trier of fact, while passing upon the credibility of 

witnesses and the weight of the evidence produced, is free to believe all, 

part or none of the evidence. Commonwealth v. Hutchinson, 947 A.2d 

800, 806 (Pa. Super. 2008). 

“A criminal homicide constitutes murder of the first degree when it is 

committed by an intentional killing.” 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2502(a). 

To sustain a conviction for first-degree murder, we 

must conclude that the evidence established the 

following three elements: (1) that a human being 
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was unlawfully killed; (2) that the accused is 

responsible for the killing; and (3) that the accused 

acted with a specific intent to kill, i.e., in a willful, 

deliberate, premeditated way. The Commonwealth 

may sustain its burden to establish each element 

with the presentation of wholly circumstantial 

evidence. For example, specific intent to kill can be 

inferred from the application of deadly force to the 

victim’s person. 

Commonwealth v. Pruitt, 951 A.2d 307, 313-14 (Pa. 2008) (internal 

citations omitted). With regard to PIC, “[a] person commits a misdemeanor 

of the first degree if he possesses any instrument of crime with intent to 

employ it criminally.” 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 907(a). An instrument of crime is 

defined, in relevant part, as “[a]nything used for criminal purposes and 

possessed by the actor under circumstances not manifestly appropriate for 

lawful uses it may have[,]” 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 907, and includes a firearm used 

in the commission of a crime. See Commonwealth v. Stanley, 446 A.2d 

583, 588 (Pa. 1982) (holding that where appellant possessed a revolver 

when arrested for escape, he possessed an instrument of crime for purpose 

of Pa.C.S.A. § 907).

Our review of the evidence of record, in the light most favorable to the 

Commonwealth, reveals that on June 11, 2010 at approximately 9:00 in the 

evening, Nathaniel Alston was asleep on the back deck of 7009 Georgian 

Road in Philadelphia. N.T., 11/14/12, at 163-64. He was woken by the 

sound of gunfire. Id. at 165. He immediately ran toward the side of the 

porch and as he did so, he looked down and saw McCrae shoot Victim. Id.
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at 165-67. He then watched McCrae and another person run away “up the 

driveway.” Id. at 166. Mr. Alston was familiar with McCrea because they 

hung around the same neighborhood and because they had attended high 

school together. Id. at 161. 

Mr. Alston feared that Victim was his girlfriend’s younger brother, and 

so after McCrea fled, he ran to check the identify of Victim. Id. at 167-68. 

As he did, he came into contact with William Grier, who was also running 

toward the scene of the shooting. Id. at 170. Mr. Grier testified that on the 

night of the shooting, he was on Georgian Road changing the brakes on a 

female friend’s car when he heard gunfire coming from the driveway behind 

him. N.T., 11/15/12, at 10, 12. His friend indicated that her little brother 

was in the area from which the gunshots came, and so Mr. Grier ran toward 

the shots to check on him. Id. at 12. In a statement he gave to the police 

four days after the shooting,3 Mr. Grier said that he saw McCrea “with his 

hand out and [] saw the spark of the last shot. ... [He] saw [Victim] falling 

to the ground. He landed on his back.” Id. at 54. According to Mr. Grier, 

McCrea then ran down the driveway and looked directly at Mr. Grier as he 

did so. Id. at 56. 

Within minutes of the shooting, Victim was taken to the hospital by the 

police where he was pronounced dead. N.T., 11/14/12, at 94, 97. Victim 

 

3 At trial, Mr. Grier recanted his statement and testified that he did not see 

who shot Victim. N.T., 11/15/12, at 15. 
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was shot seven times. Id. at 127. Victim was struck in the chest, back, 

arms and legs. Id. at 128-144. One shot to Victim’s torso eviscerated 

multiple organs, including Victim’s heart, and lodged in Victim’s chest. Id.

at 128. Although this shot alone would have been fatal, the medical 

examiner testified that Victim’s death was caused by multiple gunshot 

wounds. Id. at 130,157. 

We conclude that this evidence is sufficient to establish that McCrea 

intentionally shot Victim multiple times in the abdomen, back and 

extremities (i.e., that McCrae applied deadly force to Victim’s person), and 

that Victim’s death occurred as a result. Accordingly, the evidence is 

sufficient to support McCrae’s convictions. 

McCrea’s argument to the contrary is based on Mr. Grier’s denial, at 

trial, that he saw McCrea shoot Victim and the Commonwealth’s 

impeachment of this testimony with the statement that Mr. Grier gave to the 

police.4 McCrea argues that because there was nothing to corroborate this 

out-of-court statement and because “there was ample reason to disbelieve 

the statement[,]” there is insufficient evidence to support his conviction of 

murder. McCrea’s Brief at 8-9. There are multiple problems with this 

argument. First, McCrea is ignoring Mr. Alston’s testimony, in which he 

stated that he also witnessed McCrea shooting Victim. Second, there is no 

 

4 Detective Crone, the officer to whom Mr. Grier gave his statement, also 

testified at trial and as part of his testimony, he read Mr. Grier’s entire 

statement into evidence. N.T., 11/15/12, at 218-29. 
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requirement that the Commonwealth corroborate a witness’s testimony, as it 

has long been held that the testimony of a single witness, when believed by 

the trier of fact, is sufficient to support a conviction. See Commonwealth 

v. Filer, 846 A.2d 139, 141 (Pa. Super. 2004) (“The uncorroborated 

testimony of a victim, if believed by the trier of fact, is sufficient to convict a 

defendant[.]”). Finally, McCrea’s argument regarding the credibility of Mr. 

Grier’s statement to the police is addressed to the weight of the evidence,

Commonwealth v. Feucht, 955 A.2d 377, 382 (Pa. Super. 2008), and so 

they are misplaced in his argument challenging the sufficiency of the 

evidence. 

Although there is no merit to the claims raised by McCrea on appeal, 

our review of the record reveals that his sentence is illegal.5 McCrea was 

convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced on November 16, 2102. The 

trial court sentenced McCrea, who was seventeen years old at the time he 

committed the murder at issue, to life without parole. See N.T., 11/16/12, 

at 183. Prior to October 25, 2012, juveniles convicted of first-degree 

murder were subject to mandatory sentences of life without parole. 

18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1102(a)(1) (superseded by 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1102.1). Such 

mandatory sentences for juveniles were declared unconstitutional by the 

United States Supreme Court in Miller v. Alabama, __ U.S. __, 132 S. Ct. 

 

5 This Court may raise issues concerning the legality of a sentence sua 

sponte. Commonwealth v. Stetler, 95 A.3d 864, 888 n.6 (Pa. Super. 

2014). 
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2455, 2469 (2012). Post Miller, a trial court may impose a sentence of life 

without parole on a juvenile, but only upon consideration of certain age 

related factors. Miller, 132 S.Ct. at 2475; see also Commonwealth v. 

Batts, 66 A.3d 286, 291 (Pa. 2013). In response to Miller, our Legislature 

promulgated 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1102.1, which provides, in relevant part, as 

follows: 

(a) First degree murder.--A person who has been 

convicted after June 24, 2012, of a murder of the 

first degree, first degree murder of an unborn child 

or murder of a law enforcement officer of the first 

degree and who was under the age of 18 at the time 

of the commission of the offense shall be sentenced 

as follows:

(1) A person who at the time of the 

commission of the offense was 15 years of age or 

older shall be sentenced to a term of life 

imprisonment without parole, or a term of 

imprisonment, the minimum of which shall be at 

least 35 years to life.

18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1102.1(a)(1). In recognition of Miller’s holding that a life 

sentence may not be imposed without consideration of certain age related 

factors, subsection (d) of this statute includes a list of factors that a trial 

court must consider before imposing a sentence of life without parole on a 

juvenile. See 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1102.1(d) (“In determining whether to impose 

a sentence of life without parole under subsection (a), the court shall 

consider and make findings on the record regarding the following ... .”) 

(emphasis added). 
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Section 1102.1 became effective on October 25, 2012, and therefore 

was in effect at the time the McCrea was convicted and sentenced. 

Nonetheless, the trial court imposed McCrea’s life sentence without 

consideration of the factors contained in Section 1102.1(d). The imposition 

of a sentence of life without parole on a juvenile without consideration of 

age-related factors is unconstitutional and therefore illegal. Miller, 132 

S.Ct. at 2469; Batts, 66 A.3d at 291. Accordingly, we vacate McCrea’s 

judgment of sentence and remand for resentencing pursuant to Section 

1102.1. 

Judgment of sentence vacated. Case remanded for resentencing. 

Jurisdiction relinquished. 

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.

Prothonotary

Date: 6/10/2015