J - S51026 - 19

NON - PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Appellee
v. DOUGLAS MARTIN SHUFFLER

Appellant : : : : : : : : : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF

PENNSYLVANIA

No. 638 MDA 2019 Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered April 2, 2019 In the Court of Co mmon Pleas of Cumberland County Criminal Division at No(s): CP - 21 - CR - 0002528 - 2018 BEFORE: PANELLA, P.J., GANTMAN, P.J.E., and MUSMANNO, J. MEMORANDUM BY GANTMAN, P.J.E.: FILED OCTOBER 07, 2019 Appellant, Douglas Martin Shuffler, appeals from the judgment of sentence entered in the Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas, following his jury trial convictions for indecent exposure and open lewdness. 1 W e affirm. In its opinion, the trial court correctly set forth the relevant facts and most of the procedural history of this case. Therefore, we have no need to restate them. We add that on April 24, 2019, the court ordered Appellant to file a concise statement of errors complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). After the court granted an extension, Appellant timely filed a Rule 1925(b) statement on May 17, 2019. Appellant raises the following issue for our review: DID THE TRIAL COURT E RR WHEN IT CONCLUDED THAT

_________________ ____________________ _______ 1 18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3127(a), 5901, respectively.J - S51026 - 19

- 2 - THE VERDICT WAS NOT AGAINST THE WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE SO AS TO SHOCK [ONE’S] SENSE OF JUSTICE? (Appellant’s Brief at 6). A fter a thorough review of the record, the briefs of the parties, the applicable law, and the well - reasoned opinion of the Honorable Jessica E. Brewbaker , we conclude Appellant’s issue merits no relief. The trial court opinion discuss es and properly dispos e s of the question presented. ( See Trial Court Opinion, filed May 30 , 201 9 , at 3 - 5 ) ( finding: jury had opportunity to observe Victim and found Victim’s testimony credible; video surveillance evidence corroborated Victim’s testimony that she spoke briefly with Appellant during encounter and then quickly backed away from his car and locked herself in her vehicle; video further supported Victim’s testimony that Appellant left scene immediately after encounter with Victim, Victim followed Appellant to obtain l icense plate number, and returned to motel to report incident; Victim’s written statement to police after incident was consistent with her trial testimony; Appellant’s written statement to police corroborated Victim’s testimony; jury verdict did not shock court’s sense of justice, and court properly denied Appellant’s challenge to weight of evidence ). The record supports the rationale of the trial court. According ly , we affirm on the basis of the trial court opinion. Judgment of sentence affirmed.J - S51026 - 19

- 3 -

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary Date: 10/7/2019Circulated 09/18/2019 10:21 AM

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pp e al , Ap p e ll an t c h a ll e n g e s hi s c o nv i c t i o n s o n th e c h ar g e s o f i n d e c e nt
e xp o s ur e an d o p e n l e w dn e s s , fo ll o w i n g a j ury tr i a l h e l d o n 

### J anu ary 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 an d J anu ary 3 0 , 2 0 1 9
. T h i s o p i n i o n i s wr i tt e n p ur s u an t t o P A. R
. A
. P
. 1 9 2 5 ( a )
. Ap pe ll an t' s b as i s fo r a p p e al i s as fo ll o w s : 1
. T h e tri al c o urt e rr e d w h e n i t d e n i e d th e D e fe n d an t ' s m o t i o n fo r

a n e w tri al wh e n th e v e r d i c t s w e r e a g a i n s t th e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e . S T A T E MEN T O F F A C T S O n j° u l y 2 3 , 2 0 1 8 , at a

p p r o x i m at e l y 6 : 0 0 p . m . , G a l e B urk e y ( h e r e i n a ft e r , " M s . " ) p u ll e d i n t o th e R o adw ay I nn i n C ar li s l e , C umb e rl an d C o un ty , aft e r fi n i s h i n g a d ay o f w o rk at th e N avy D e p o t i n M e c h an ic s b ur g . Ms
. B urk e y , n o t a r e s i d e nt o f C umb e r l an d C o unty , w a s i n th e ar e a fo r
w o rk p urp o s e s an d w as stay i n g at th e R o a dw ay I nn wh il e aw ay fr o m h o m e . M s . B urk e y c o mp l e te d c h e c k i n g i n t o th e m o t e l , dr o v e ar o un d th e b u il d i n g t o th e l o c ati o n o f h e r r o o m , an d
att e mp t e d t o e n t e r th e r o o m b e fo re d i s c o v e ri n g th at h e r r o o m k e y d i d n o t w o rk.

· A ft e r fa ili n g t o e nt e r h e r m o t e l r o o m , M s . B urk e y turn e d b a c k t o th e p arki n g l o t , an d
n o t ic ed th at a t e a l s e d an h a d b a c k e d i n n e x t t o h e r v e h i c l e . M s . B urk e y a p p r o a c h e d th e c ar aft e r. t h e ar i n g th e dr i v e r , l at e r i d e nt i fi e d a s Ap p e ll an t , c a ll o ut t o h e r , un s ur e o f w h e th e r h e w a s a
m a i n t e n an c e e mp l o y e e o f th e R o a dw ay I nn . A ft e r e xp l a i n i n g t o Ap p e ll an t th at h e r ro o m k e y w a s n o t w o rk i n g an d th at s h e w a s r e turn i n g t o th e m o t e l o ffi c e , M s . B urk e y w al k e d o v e r t o h e r
v e h i c l e , b e fo r e Ap p e ll ant c a ll e d h e r b a c k t o th e dr i v e r ' s s i d e w i n d o w o f hi s c ar . A s M s . B urk e y a p p r o a c h e d Ap p e ll an t ' s c ar fo r th e s e c o n d t i m e , s h e t e s t i fi e d th at s h e h e ar d Ap p e ll an t m ak e a l e w d r e m ark d i r e c t e d t o w ar d h e r , whi l e h e s i mu l t an e o u s l y e xp o s e d h i s g e n it a l s t o h e r an d b e g an m a s t ur b at i n g . M s . B urk e y i mm e d i at e l y r e tr e at e d t o h e r v e h i cl e an d l o c k e d th e d o o r . Up o n r e al i z i n g th at M s . B urk e y w a s n o t r e c e p t i v e 

### to hi s att e mp t at c o urt s h i p , Ap p e ll ant dr o v e o ut o f th e p arki n g l o t an d fl e d th e s c e n e . M s . B urk e y w a s ab l e t o fo ll o w Ap p e ll ant an d o b ta i n h i s li c e n s e p l at e numb e r , b e fo r e r e turn i n g t o th e m o t e l o f fi c e an d c a lli n g th e p o li c e . Ap p e ll an t w a s l o c at e d a fe w h o ur s l at e r at a n e ar

b y r e s t aur an t , d e t a i n e d an d b r o u g h t b a c k t o th e R o a dw ay I nn , wh e re h e w a s p o s i t i v e l y i d e nt i fi e d b y M s . B urk e y a s th e p e rp e tr at o r . T h e c a s e p r o c e e d e d t o tri a l , whi c h r e s u l t e d i n Ap p e ll ant ' s c o nv i c ti o n s o n J anu ary 3 0 , 2 0 1 9
. Ap p e ll ant w a s s e nt e n c e d o n Ap r il 2 , 2 0 1 9 , t o a t e rm o f i n c ar c e r at i o n o f n o t l e s s th an 9
m o n th s n o r m o r e th an 2 3 m o n th s at C o unt 1 , I n d e c e n t E xp o s ur e , an d a c o n s e c ut i v e 1 2
- m o nth t e rm o f s u p e rv i s e d p r o b at i o n at C o un t 2 , O p e n L e w dn e s s . Ap p e ll ant fil e d a ti m e l y p o s t - s e nt e n c e m o t i o n o n Ap r il 1 1 , 2 0 1 9 , c h a ll e n g i n g th e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e an d a s k i n g th at thi s c o urt
r e c o n s i d e r an d f

urth e r r e d u c e it s m i t i g at e d

- ran g e s e n t e n c e o f Ap p e ll ant. T h e p o s t - s e nt e n c e
m o t i o n w a s d e n i e d b y o r d e r o f c o urt d at e d Ap r il 1 5 , 2 0 1 9 , p ro mp t i n g Ap p e ll an t t o fil e h i s t i m e l y N o t i c e o f Ap p e a l o n Ap r il 2 3 , 2 0 1 9
.

2. . , 1
D I S C U S S I O N Ap p e ll ant r ai s e s o n e e rr o r o n a p p e a l , ar gu i n g th at th i s C o urt i mp r o p e r l y d e n i e d h i s p o s t s e nt e n c e m o ti o n fo r a n e w tr i al
. T h e c h a ll e n g e i nv o k e s th e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e . F o r th e fo ll o w i n g r e a s o n s , th i s C o urt p r o pe rl y d e ni e d Ap p e ll ant ' s p o s t - s e n t en c e m o t i o n fo r a n e w tri a l , an d s h o u l d b e a ffi rm e d o n a p p e a l. T o b e g i n , a s s t at e d b y th e S u p e r i o r C o urt i n 

### C

o m . v. G a l i n des , 2 0 0 1 P A S u p e r 3 1 5 , 7 8 6 A
. 2 d 1 0 0 4 , 1 0 1 3 ( P a . S u

p e r . 2 0 0 1 ) , wh e n r e v i e w i n g th e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e : [ A ] tru e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e c h a ll en g e " co n c e d e s th at s u ffi c i e n t e v i d e n c e e x i s t s t o s u s t a i n th e v e r d i c t " b ut qu e s t i o n s whi c h e v i d e n c e i s t o b e b e li e v e d
. 

### C o m . v . G a l i n des, s u

p ra , c it i n g t o 

### A r

m b ru s te r v. H

o ro w i t z , 2 8 6 ( P a . S u

p e r . 1 9 9 9 )
. T h e G a l i n d

es c o urt furth e r s t at e d : 7 4 4 A. 2 d 2 8 5 ,


### An a p p e ll at e c o urt m ay r e v i e w th e tr i al c o urt ' s d e c i s i o n t o d e t e rm i n e w h e th e r th e r e w a s an ab u s e o f d i s c r e ti o n , b ut i t m ay n o t s ub s t i t ut e i t s j u d g m e n t fo r th at o f th e l o w e r c o urt
. In d e e d , an a p p e ll at e c o urt s h o u l d n o t e nt e rt a i n c h al l en g e s t o th e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e s i n c e o ur e x am i n at i o n i s c o nfi n e d t o th e " c o l d r e c o r d
. " 

### C o m . v . M u rra y , 4 0 8 P a . S u

pe r . 4 3 5 , 5 9 7 A
. 2 d 1 1 1 , 1 13 (P a . S u pe r . 1 9 9 1 )
. O ur C o urt m ay n o t r e v e r s e a v e r d i c t unl e s s i t i s s o c o n tr ar y t o th e e v i d e n c e a s t o s h o c k o n e ' s s en s e o f j u s t i c e . 

### I d

. " F i n al l y , th e tri e r o f f

ac t , w h il e p as s in g u

p o n th e c r e d i b ili ty o f w i tn e s s e s an d th e w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e p r o d u c e d , i s fre e t o b e li e v e a ll , p art o r n o n e o fth e e v i d e n c e . " 

### C o m . v . V a le tte, 5 3 1 P a . 3 8 4 , 6 1 3 A. 2 d 5 4 8 , 5 4 9 ( P a . 1 9 9 2 )
. O ur r e v i e w , th e r e fo r e , i s c o n fi n e d t o w h e th e r th e tr i a l c o urt ab u s e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n . 

### C o m . v . G a l i n des, 

### s u

p ra ( e mp h as i s o ri g i n a l )
. " It i s th e p r o vi n c e o f th e j ury t o a s s e s s th e

,. . • " • • • • • - -' • • • • • · - - • · • • • • " a ' • • • c r e d i b ili ty o f w i tn e s s e s , 

### an d a tr i a l j u d g e w ill n o t g rant a n e w tr i a l m e r e l y b e c aus e o f a c o n fl i c t i n th e t e s ti m o ny o r b e c au s e h e w o u l d h av e r e a c h e d a di ff e r e nt c o n c l u s i o n o n th e s am e fa c ts , i f' h e h a d b e e n th e tr i e r o f f

ac t. " 

### C o m v. V a n ln v i n e r, 5 9 9 P a . 6 1 7 , 6 3 0 , 9 6 2 A. 2 d 1 1 7 0 ( P a . 2 0 0 9 )

3

### , .

( i n t e rn a l c i t at i o n s o m i tt e d )
. " G i v e n th e p r i m ary r o l e o fth e 

### j ury i n d e t e rm i n i n g qu e s t i o n s o f

c r e d i b ili ty an d e v i d e nt i ary w e i g h t , th i s . . . e x tr a o r d i n ary p o w e r v es t e d i n tr i a l j u d g e s t o u p s e t a j ury v e r d i c t o n gr o un ds o f e v i d e n t i ary w e i g h t i s v e r y n arr o w l y c i r c um s c ri b e d
. " 

### C o m . v . C o lli n s , 7 0 A. 3 d 1 2 4 5 , 1 2 5 1 , 2 0 1 3 P A S u p e r 1 5 8 , c i t i n g t o 

### C

r i s w e ll 

### v . K i ng , 5 7 5 P a . 3 4 , 8 3 4 A
. 2 d 5 0 5 , 5 1 3 ( 2 0 0 3 )
. H e r e , Ap p e ll an t c o n t e n d s th at thi s C o urt e rr e d wh e n i t d e n i e d th e D e f e n d ant ' s m o t i o n fo r

. . a n e w tr i a l , as th e j ury ' s g u il ty v e r d i c t s w e r e p urp o rt e d l y a g ai n s t th e w e i g h t o f e v i d e n c e . Th e fa c tfi n d e r h a d th e o p p o rt

un i ty t o o b s e rv e M s . B urk e y a s s h e t e s t i fi e d an d w a s fr e e t o b e li e v e a ll , s o m e o r n o n e o f h e r t e s t i m o ny a g a i n s t Ap p e ll ant. C l e ar l y , th e tw e l v e fa c t fi n d e r s un an i m o u s l y fo un d M s . B urk e y s u f

fi c i e ntl y c r e d i b l e t o s u

p p o rt fi n d i n g Ap p e ll ant gu il ty o f a ll o f th e c h ar g e s
a g a i n s t h i m . N o t ab l y , M s . B urk e y ' s t e s ti m o ny th at s h e s p o k e v e ry b r i e fl y t o Ap p e ll ant , b e fo r e qu i c k l y b a c k i n g aw ay fr o m h i s c ar an d l o c ki n g h e r s e l f 

### in h e r v e hi c l e w a s s u p p o rt e d b y th e v i d e o
s urv e ill an c e r e c o r d i n g fr o m th e c am e r a c o v e ri n g th e p ark i n g l o t o f th e R o a dw ay I nn . ' T h e v i d e o
r e c o r d i n g furth e r s u

p p o rt e d M s . B urk e y ' s t e s t i m o ny th at Ap p e ll an t l e ft th e m o t e l d i r e c t l y a ft e r th i s e n c o un t e r , an d th at M s . B urk e y fo ll o w e d hi m t o s e c ur e h i s li c e n s e p l at e numb e r an d i mm e d i at e l y s t o p p e d at th e m o t e l o ffi c e t o r e p o rt th e c r i m e . 

### M s . B urk e y ' s wr i tt e n s t at e m e nt , p r o v i d e d t o th e p o li c e s h o rtl y a ft e r th e i n c i d e nt w i th Ap p e ll ant , l ar g e l y c o rr o b o r at e d h e r t e s t i m o ny o n th e w i tn e s s s t an d
. A d d i t i o n a ll y , Ap p e ll ant ' s wr i tt e n s t at e m e nt th at h e p ro v i d e d t o th e p o li c e s h o rt l y a ft e r th e i n ci d e n t c o rr o b o r at e d M s . B urk e y ' s t e s t i m o ny , i n th at Ap p e ll ant s t at e d th at h e e n c o unt e r e d M s .

I It i s i mp o rt ant t o n o t e th at th e p arkin g l o t c am e r a , l o c at e d o n th e o th e r s i d e o f th e l o t fr o m th e l o c at i o n o f Ap p e ll ant an d M s . B urk e y ' s i n t e r a c t i o n , o n l y c a p tur e d a v i e w o f o n e o f Ap p e ll ant ' s s h o u l d e r s an d h i s h e a d a s th e c am e r a ' s v i e w w a s o b s tru c t e d b y Ap p e ll an t ' s v e h i c l e . 

### 4

### B urk e y i n th e m o t e l p ark i n g l o t , s qu e e ze d h i s th i g h s an d " o ff e r ed h e r anyth i n g that s h e w ant e d
. " 2 

### U l t i m at e l y , th i s C o urt d i d n o t fi n d th e j ury ' s 

### c o n cl u s i o n s r e g ar d i n g Ap p e ll ant ' s g u il t an d th e
c r e d i b il i ty o f M s . B urk e y t o b e s h o c ki n g t o i t s s e n s e o f j u s t i c e , an d a s s u c h p r o p e rl y d e n i e d Ap p e ll ant ' s p o s t - s e nt e n c e m o t i o n fo r a n e w tr i a l.

C o urtn e y H ai r L a R

u e , E s qu i r e C h i e f D e p uty D i s tri c t A tt o rn e y C hr i s t o p h e r R
. S h e rw o o d , E s qu i r e A s s i s t ant P ub li c D e fe n d e r

2 N o t e s o f T e s t i m o ny , i n R e : Tr i a l , h e l d J anu ary 3 0 , 2 0 1 9 at 1 0 6
.

5