Case Name: COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellee, v. Franklin E. SAFRIT, Appellant
Court: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Decision Date: 1988-02-26
Citations: 517 Pa. 484
Docket Number: No. 74 M.D. Appeal Docket 1985
Parties: COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellee, v. Franklin E. SAFRIT, Appellant.
Judges: Before NIX, C.J., and LARSEN, FLAHERTY, McDermott, hutchinson, zappala and PAPADAKOS, JJ.
Reporter: Pennsylvania State Reports
Volume: 517
Pages: 484–486

Head Matter:
538 A.2d 1335
COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellee, v. Franklin E. SAFRIT, Appellant.
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Submitted May 15, 1987.
Decided Feb. 26, 1988.
James T. Rague, Wellsboro, for appellant.
James Edgar Carlson, Dist. Atty., for appellee.
Before NIX, C.J., and LARSEN, FLAHERTY, McDermott, hutchinson, zappala and PAPADAKOS, JJ.

Opinion:
ORDER
PER CURIAM.
The judgment of sentence imposed upon Appellant Franklin E. Safrit following the convictions of three counts of homicide by vehicle, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3732, and the summary offense under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3322 is vacated and the matter is remanded for a new trial. In Commonwealth v. Heck, 517 Pa. 192, 535 A.2d 575 (1987), we held that the minimum requirements of culpability set forth in 18 Pa.C.S. § 302(a) apply to the offense of homicide by vehicle. We note that the trial judge did not have the benefit of this Court's decision in Commonwealth v. Heck, supra, and that his charge reflected the language of appellate decisions at the time of the trial. The jury instructions in the instant case failed to inform the jury, however, that the Commonwealth must establish that the Appellant's conduct was criminally negligent or reckless. The absence of a charge on the applicable mens rea requirements warrants a new trial.
HUTCHINSON, Former Justice, did not participate in the decision of this case.
McDERMOTT, J., files a concurring opinion.