Opinion ID: 2086402
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Jury Instructions Regarding Burden of Proof

Text: Appellant argues that the trial court erroneously neglected to instruct the jury that the Commonwealth had the burden of proving each and every element of the charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt. The record reveals, however, that the trial court did so instruct the jury. N.T., 5/21/86, at 105-06. ([I]t is the Commonwealth that always has the burden of proving each and every element of the crime charged, and that the defendant is guilty of that crime beyond a reasonable doubt.). Accordingly, this claim warrants no relief.

Appellant argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to call Freeman as a witness. To prove that counsel was ineffective for failing to call a witness, Appellant must show that: (1) the witness existed; (2) the witness was available to testify for the defense; (3) counsel knew or should have known of the existence of the witness; (4) the witness was willing to testify for the defense; and (5) the absence of the witness was so prejudicial as to have denied Appellant a fair trial. Commonwealth v. Henry, 550 Pa. 346, 706 A.2d 313 (1997). Here, Appellant cannot satisfy the prejudice prong. According to a March 12, 1991 affidavit, Freeman would have testified that on the night of the murder, he saw Appellant at a bar from five o'clock p.m. to nine or nine thirty p.m., and that he saw Appellant again briefly at approximately eleven thirty p.m. This testimony would have been useless to Appellant's alibi defense because the murder occurred some time after midnight. Moreover, Freeman's testimony easily could have incriminated Appellant. Trial counsel's decision not to call Freeman as a witness was reasonable and did not prejudice Appellant; therefore, this ineffectiveness claim fails.
Finally, Appellant claims that he was denied his right to due process when the PCRA court denied his requests for discovery of police files and funds to obtain expert testimony regarding mental capacity. These arguments are meritless. With regard to the police files, Appellant alleges the personnel or internal affairs files of the detective who took Appellant's statement should have been disclosed, yet he identifies no specific information that would have been admissible in his case. Thus, the PCRA Court was within its discretion in denying Appellant's discovery request. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Abu Jamal, 553 Pa. 485, 720 A.2d 79 (1998). Concerning the proposed expert testimony, Appellant argues that the provision of mental health expert services ... was necessary for counsel to identify, plead, and present mental health related claims for relief, particularly as mitigation evidence. On direct appeal, however, this Court found that Appellant himself chose not to present mitigating witnesses at trial. See Holloway, supra . Accordingly, he cannot now relitigate this issue under a new theory. See Commonwealth v. Senk, 496 Pa. 630, 437 A.2d 1218, 1220 (1981) (citing Commonwealth v. Jones, 488 Pa. 270, 412 A.2d 503 (1980)).
Having determined that none of Appellants' claims merits relief, we affirm the Order of the PCRA Court. [5]