Opinion ID: 1998711
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: alleged suggestiveness of the identification

Text: The trial court specifically found that: the confrontation between Mrs. Markowitz and appellee was not contrived; Mrs. Markowitz was asked to be present at Eugene Banks' sentencing in order to present rebuttal testimony in case Banks lied in his testimony at sentencing; and, Mrs. Markowitz was not told that appellee or any suspect would be in the courtroom. (Trial Ct. Op. at 8). The trial court, nonetheless, found that an impermissibly suggestive encounter occurred because appellee was escorted into the courtroom by physical force, he was the only black man in the courtroom at the time, and he was seated between two detectives known to be associated with the Banks investigation. Initially, I note that the trial court's findings of fact are only partially supported by the record. The trial court's finding that appellee was brought into the courtroom by physical force is misleading, if not simply unsupported. The only evidence of record regarding the manner in which appellee entered the courtroom was appellee's testimony that, . . . there was one detective on each side. One had  he didn't have a full grip on my arm, but he let me know which way to go. He had hold of my arm, yes. (N.T. 5/15/86 at 16). (Emphasis added). Thus, the physical force was slight at most. Similarly, the only evidence as to whether appellee was the only black man in the courtroom was as follows: Q. And did you happen to observe whether there were any other black people in the courtroom when you came into the courtroom ? A. To the best of my knowledge I was the only black person in that particular courtroom. (N.T. 5/15/86 at 17). (Emphasis added). Both the question and the answer were circumscribed by careful limitations. They hardly sustain a finding that he was, in fact, the only black man present during the relevant time period. Finally, I note that though the trial court found that the two detectives who escorted appellee in and out of the courtroom were known by everyone (including presumably Mrs. Markowitz) to be associated with the Banks case, appellee never identified his escorts at that hearing. Rather, appellee referred to them only as persons who had identified themselves as detectives. (N.T. 5/15/86 at 12-28). There was indication in the record, however, that Detective Gergal, who was associated with the Banks investigation, was one of the detectives who escorted appellee, (based upon Detective Gergal's testimony at appellee's trial). (N.T. 1/14/85 at 129-30). More important than the above qualifications and objections to the trial court's general findings of fact, however, is the fact that none of the arguably suggestive factors listed by the trial court has in any way been linked to Mrs. Markowitz's identification of appellee. Appellee declined to subpoena Mrs. Markowitz to testify at the evidentiary hearing; instead, appellee relied upon the transcript of her trial testimony and the copy of the report of her call to the police after Banks' sentencing hearing. (N.T. 5/15/86 at 71, 107-08). Neither Mrs. Markowitz's trial testimony, nor the police report support a finding that her identification of appellee was the product of undue suggestion. Indeed, the record strongly supports a contrary conclusion. The trial court specifically accepted the Commonwealth's explanation that Mrs. Markowitz was not subpoenaed for the purpose of identifying appellee and that nothing was done to focus her attention on appellee. (Trial Ct. Op. at 8; see also N.T. 5/15/86 at 78; N.T. 1/14/85 at 67-70, 78-82). Neither her trial testimony nor the police report indicate the least awareness of the arguably suggestive factors indicated; rather, she specifically testified on cross-examination at appellee's trial: Q. Really, as a matter of fact, [you] had no reason to even pay any attention to him, did you? A. When, in the courtroom? No, I didn't. Q. At the Woodlands. A. I saw him get out of the car. Excuse me, sir. When an incident such as that happens things really tend  certain parts really tend to be embedded in your memory. Q. Absolutely. (N.T. 1/14/85 at 82) (emphasis added); see also (N.T. 1/14/85 at 69). Her report to the police indicated that appellee had been seated in front of Mrs. Markowitz in the courtroom but had looked back at her several times. (Police Report 8/27/84). This is the only indication in the record of any factor calling appellee's presence in the courtroom to Mrs. Markowitz's attention. There is no indication in the record that Mrs. Markowitz saw appellee enter or leave the courtroom, that she noticed whether or not other blacks were present in the courtroom, or that the detectives had also turned around so that she could see the faces of the detectives seated in front of her so as to be able to identify them as being connected with the Banks case, if indeed they were known to her as being part of that investigation. I find that the record does not support findings or conclusions that Mrs. Markowitz's identification of appellee was the product of undue suggestion. Rather, the record indicates that an unplanned confrontation resulted in a spontaneous identification. Cf. Commonwealth v. Butler, 354 Pa.Super. 533, 512 A.2d 667 (1986) (unplanned stationhouse confrontation resulted in an admissible spontaneous identification); Commonwealth v. Cuellan, 340 Pa.Super. 233, 489 A.2d 929 (1985) (unplanned courthouse confrontation resulted in an admissible spontaneous identification). As appellee failed to establish the merit of his underlying suppression claim in this respect, counsel cannot be deemed ineffective. See Commonwealth v. Carelli, supra ; Kitrell v. Dakota, supra .