Opinion ID: 2066555
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Police statement and preliminary hearing testimony of Kevin Cofer

Text: In his first underlying issue based on the PCRA court's denial of an evidentiary hearing, appellant claims that the PCRA court should have allowed him to develop the record regarding prior counsel's failure to challenge the trial court's admission of a statement provided to the police by Kevin Cofer, as well as testimony Cofer gave at a preliminary hearing, both of which implicated appellant in Graves' murder. Appellant argues that the police statement and preliminary hearing testimony were inadmissible at trial because appellant was deprived of the opportunity to cross-examine Cofer about them, either at the preliminary hearing or at trial, where, appellant states, after disavowing the prior statement and testimony, Cofer invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify further. Appellant contends that he was substantially prejudiced by the admission of Cofer's prior statement and testimony because they comprised the Commonwealth's only evidence that directly implicated Mr. Collins. Appellant's Brief at 54. [13] The Commonwealth responds that the instant claim is frivolous. Citing Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36, 60, 124 S.Ct. 1354, 158 L.Ed.2d 177 (2004) for the proposition that when the declarant appears for cross-examination at trial, the Confrontation Clause places no constraints at all on the use of his prior testimonial statements, the Commonwealth first emphasizes that appellant was free to face and cross-examine [Cofer] at [trial]. Commonwealth's Brief at 58. The Commonwealth specifically disputes appellant's representation that Cofer invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify, noting that Cofer merely attempted to invoke it, after which the trial court properly compelled him to continue to testify. As an independent reason why the instant underlying claim fails, the Commonwealth cites Pa.R.E. 803.1(1) (Inconsistent statement of witness), noting that Cofer's preliminary hearing testimony was given under oath at a formal legal proceeding and that his police statement was reduced to a writing, which Cofer signed and adopted. The PCRA court determined that both Cofer's preliminary hearing testimony and his police statement were admissible at trial. PCRA Ct. Op. at 25 (applying Commonwealth v. Lively, 530 Pa. 464, 610 A.2d 7 (1992)). Pennsylvania Rule of Evidence 803.1(1) provides as follows: Rule 803.1. Hearsay exceptions; testimony of declarant necessary The following statements, as hereinafter defined, are not excluded by the hearsay rule if the declarant testifies at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross-examination concerning the statement: (1) Inconsistent statement of witness. A statement by a declarant that is inconsistent with the declarant's testimony, and (a) was given under oath subject to the penalty of perjury at a trial, hearing, or other proceeding, or in a deposition, or (b) is a writing signed and adopted by the declarant, or (c) is a verbatim contemporaneous recording of an oral statement. Pa.R.E. 803.1(1). Although Rule 803.1 was adopted subsequent to appellant's trial, it merely codifies decisions of this Court announced prior thereto. See, e.g., Lively, 610 A.2d at 10. On July 14, 1992, the day after Graves' murder, Cofer was interviewed by homicide detectives. After initially denying that he was present at Graves' murder, Cofer informed the detectives that he, in fact, witnessed the shooting and that appellant was the shooter. Cofer provided a written statement to the detectives to this effect and signed each page of the statement. On August 5, 1992, Cofer testified at a preliminary hearing consistently with his July 14th police statement. On Friday, May 7, 1993, the Commonwealth called Cofer to testify at appellant's trial. Although Cofer acknowledged during direct examination that he had told the detectives all the details contained in the statement, N.T., 5/7/93, at 124-67, Cofer also testified at trial that the police statement was essentially untrue i.e., that he did not witness Graves' murder and was not even present at the time, id. at 137-46. Later during direct examination, Cofer acknowledged that his testimony at the preliminary hearing was under oath and in the presence of appellant and appellant's trial counsel. Id. at 172-73. Cofer subsequently testified, however, that he had lied at the preliminary hearing when testifying that he saw appellant shoot Graves. Id. at 177-85. Cofer further testified at trial that both his police statement and his preliminary hearing testimony were coerced by detectives and that he feared he would be charged with Graves' murder if he did not provide information inculpating appellant. Id. at 116-17, 163, 203, 218-19. Appellant's trial recessed for the day before the end of Cofer's direct examination. When the prosecutor resumed direct examination of Cofer on Monday, May 10, 1993, Cofer immediately attempted to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. N.T., 5/10/93, at 227. The trial court, however, instructed Cofer to continue testifying, which he did. Id. at 231. Cofer's direct examination concluded shortly thereafter, whereupon defense counsel began cross-examination. Defense counsel questioned Cofer extensively concerning the nature and circumstances of Cofer's July 14, 1992 police statement. For example, during cross-examination, defense counsel elicited the following testimony from Cofer: that he did not remember having been read his Miranda [14] warnings before he was questioned by detectives, N.T., 5/10/93, at 253; that the detectives told him they were going to give [him] a homicide, id.; that he had initially told detectives that he was not present at Graves' murder and that this initial version of events was true, id. at 254; and that the detectives told him that appellant was in another room telling them that [Cofer] had killed [Graves] and that [Assistant District Attorney] David Webb and [then-Judge] Lynn[e] Abraham would see to it that [Cofer] got the homicide if [Cofer] didn't cooperate, id. at 255. Defense counsel also cross-examined Cofer extensively concerning the nature and circumstances of Cofer's August 5, 1992 preliminary hearing testimony. For example, defense counsel elicited testimony from Cofer that, shortly before the preliminary hearing, the trial prosecutor told Cofer, Maybe you ought to tell them that you seen a gun, id. at 257, and that Cofer had testified falsely at the preliminary hearing out of fear of get[ting] the homicide [him]self because the detectives who interviewed him said they would get a homicide on [him] if [he] didn't cooperate, id. at 258. Therefore, the record thoroughly belies appellant's contention that Cofer was not subject to cross-examination concerning [his prior] statement[s] as required by Pa.R.E. 803.1. As the PCRA court determined, the additional prerequisites for admitting Cofer's July 14, 1992 police statement were clearly satisfied, see Pa.R.E. 803.1(1)(a); Lively, supra, as were the additional requirements for admitting his August 5, 1992 preliminary hearing testimony, see Pa.R.E. 803.1(1)(b); Lively. There was no basis for trial counsel to object. Accordingly, because there is no genuine issue of material fact with respect to this underlying claim of trial court error, appellant's derivative ineffectiveness claim did not warrant an evidentiary hearing in the PCRA court.