Opinion ID: 2157125
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: pre-trial issues and jury selection

Text: In his first claim of error, Appellant challenges several rulings of the trial court, which were made in response to his omnibus pretrial motion. Pursuant to Pa. R.Crim.P. Rule 306, Appellant filed a twenty-five count omnibus pretrial motion dealing with issues such as suppression, change of venue, expert witnesses, sequestration and pretrial discovery. After holding hearings on the motions, the trial court granted some of Appellant's motions, denied some motions, and deferred ruling on other motions. On appeal, Appellant challenges the denial by the trial court of his request for court funds to pay for a statistician and a ballistics expert to help him prepare his defense. We first note that the decision of whether or not to appoint an expert witness is within the sound discretion of the trial court and will not be disturbed absent an abuse of that discretion. Commonwealth v. Carter, 537 Pa. 233, 643 A.2d 61, 72 (1994), cert. denied, 514 U.S. 1005, 115 S.Ct. 1317, 131 L.Ed.2d 198 (1995). While an accused in a capital case is entitled to the assistance of experts necessary to prepare his defense, there is no obligation on the part of the Commonwealth to pay for the services of an expert. Id. at 73. Additionally, a defendant is not entitled to unlimited court appointed experts until he finds one that renders the opinion he desires. Commonwealth v. Faulkner, 528 Pa. 57, 595 A.2d 28, 37 (1991), cert. denied, 503 U.S. 989, 112 S.Ct. 1680, 118 L.Ed.2d 397 (1992). Finally, we note that the trial court did grant Appellant's request for the appointment of both a psychologist and a private investigator. We turn now to Appellant's claim that the trial court erred in denying his request for a statistician. Appellant requested the expert to assist him in determining the representativeness of various classes in past and present jury arrays. Omnibus Pretrial Motion, para. 28. We find no error on the part of the trial court in denying this motion. The trial court stated when it denied Appellant's request, This Court is aware that in this County we use voter registration lists and the motor vehicle license lists from which the jury is summoned. N.T. 9/19/97 p. 5. As this Court has stated, a criminal defendant may not attack the racial composition of jury panels drawn from voter registration lists on the theory that blacks are underrepresented in voter lists because such computer generated lists are compiled without regard to race. Commonwealth v. Henry, 524 Pa. 135, 569 A.2d 929, 933 (1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 931, 111 S.Ct. 1338, 113 L.Ed.2d 269 (1991). This Court has repeatedly rejected the argument that a jury pool chosen from voter registration does not represent a fair cross section of the community. Commonwealth v. Abu-Jamal, 553 Pa. 485, 720 A.2d 79, 114 (1998), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 120 S.Ct. 41, 145 L.Ed.2d 38 (1999). For that reason, the trial court did not err in denying this request. We also find that the trial court did not err in denying Appellant's request for a ballistics expert. Appellant claims that, because testimony at trial indicated that four separate weapons were involved in the murders, the appointment of a ballistics expert would have helped the jury better understand his statement to the police and refute the prosecutor's argument concerning inferences to be drawn from the evidence. Appellant's Brief at 4. Beyond this bald statement, Appellant has not articulated how a ballistics expert would have helped him at trial, how the lack of a ballistics expert prejudiced him, or how the trial court abused its discretion in denying his request. Consequently, this claim fails. Also included in Appellant's omnibus pretrial motion was a Motion to Quash Information, which the trial court denied and which Appellant now claims as error. In this appeal, Appellant asserts that the criminal complaint as originally filed did not charge him with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, but that he was charged with this crime later in the information filed against him. We note however, that the transcript attached as Exhibit B in support of his motion to quash does list in its Description of Charges four counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. This claim, therefore, fails.
In another pretrial claim, Appellant challenges the denial by the trial court of his motion to suppress the statement he gave to police on December 16, 1996. Appellant argues that because his police interrogation began between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m. on December 16, 1996, and his written statement was not given until 8:15 p.m., that statement was obtained in violation of the six-hour Davenport/Duncan rule and should have been suppressed. Our standard of review in evaluating a trial court's denial of a motion to suppress is as follows: In reviewing a trial court's suppression ruling, our initial task is to determine whether the factual findings are supported by the record. In making this determination, we must consider only the evidence of the prosecution's witnesses, and so much evidence of the defense that remains uncontradicted when fairly read in the context of the record as a whole. When the evidence supports the factual findings, we are bound by such findings; we may reverse only if the legal conclusions drawn therefrom are erroneous. Commonwealth v. Williams, 539 Pa. 61, 650 A.2d 420, 425-26 (1994). In Commonwealth v. Davenport, 471 Pa. 278, 370 A.2d 301 (1977), this Court held that if the police do not arraign an accused within six hours of his or her arrest, any statement obtained after arrest and before arraignment may not be admitted at his trial. In Commonwealth v. Duncan, 514 Pa. 395, 525 A.2d 1177 (1987), we modified this rule and provided that if the statement is obtained within six hours of arrest, absent coercion or other illegality, such statement is admissible. See Commonwealth v. Hughes, 521 Pa. 423, 555 A.2d 1264, 1278 (1989). The purpose of the six-hour rule is to insure that an arrestee is not held indefinitely in a coercive custodial atmosphere without the benefit of an arraignment which provides the arrestee with a full explanation of his constitutional rights and the nature of the charges against him. Commonwealth v. Bond, 539 Pa. 299, 652 A.2d 308, 312 (1995). Within the facts of this case, Davenport/Duncan is inapplicable. As part of the murder investigation, the police interviewed Appellant's accomplice, Richard Morales, and obtained a statement from him implicating Appellant in the murders of Gregory and Damon Banks. The Berks County District Attorney's office wanted to question Appellant about the murders, but he had fled to New York City. On December 13, 1996, the Berks County District Attorney's Office obtained an arrest warrant for Appellant for a parole violation. On December 16, 1996 at 6:00 a.m., Appellant called Jimmie Butler (Butler), a Special Agent of the Attorney General's office, who was a friend of Appellant's father and was not involved in the investigation of the murders of the Banks cousins. Butler informed Appellant that he was probably in violation of his parole, that his family was worried about him, and that the police wanted to question him regarding the murders. Butler persuaded Appellant to return to Reading and agreed to meet him at the bus terminal. Appellant arrived in Reading the same day between 11:00 a.m. and noon, and was met by Butler, Lieutenant Lionel Carter of the Reading Police Department, Reverend Frank McCracken, and the parents of Appellant. Butler told Appellant that he was not under arrest, but that everyone present at the bus terminal wanted him to go to the courthouse to try and clear matters regarding the murders. N.T. 10/1/97 p. 76. Butler testified that he was not aware that there was an outstanding warrant for Appellant's arrest for the parole violation and that he believed Appellant was surrendering himself to the authorities in connection with the murders. The group arrived at the courthouse between noon and 12:30 p.m., and proceeded to the District Attorney's office on the fifth floor. At approximately 1:15 p.m., Detective Albert Schade of the Reading Police Department met with Appellant in an interview room of the District Attorney's office, along with Investigator Michael Bailey of the Exeter Township Police and Reverend McCracken. Detective Schade advised Appellant that he was then in custody for a parole violation, but that there was no warrant for him for a homicide at that time. At about 1:25 p.m., Detective Schade informed Appellant that he wanted to question him about the murders of the Banks cousins and read Appellant his Miranda warnings and waiver. Appellant was not handcuffed and Reverend McCracken was present in the room. Detective Schade began questioning Appellant and confronted him with information provided by his accomplice, Morales. At 2:00 p.m., Appellant asked to speak privately with Reverend McCracken. Questioning restarted at 2:10 p.m., but was interrupted at 2:45 p.m. when Appellant again asked to speak privately with Reverend McCracken. Accordingly, Detective Schade and Investigator Bailey left Appellant alone with Reverend McCracken in the unlocked interview room. Detective Schade and Investigator Bailey resumed the interrogation of Appellant at 3:05 p.m. During this round of questioning, Appellant stated that he was with his accomplices, Johnson and Morales, in his van with the Banks cousins, but that he did not know that Johnson and Morales were going to kill them, and that he did not shoot them. This interview session ceased at 4:00 p.m. when Appellant agreed to take a polygraph test. At approximately 4:40 p.m., Appellant was taken from the interview room to the office of Detective Joseph Stajkowski on the same floor. Detective Stajkowski commenced questioning of Appellant while he was hooked up to the polygraph machine; Detective Schade and Investigator Bailey were not present. At some point during this interrogation, Detective Stajkowski stopped the polygraph interview and informed Appellant that the test indicated that he was acting deceptively in response to questions regarding the murders. Detective Schade and Investigator Bailey returned to Detective Stajkowski's office, where Appellant remained connected to the polygraph machine, and again questioned Appellant about the murders of the Banks cousins. During this interview, Appellant admitted that he, Johnson and Morales had picked up the Banks cousins to f   [them] up in retaliation for the robbery of Appellant's apartment. Following this interview, Appellant submitted to a second round of polygraph testing without Detective Schade or Investigator Bailey present. When this round of testing concluded at 6:48 p.m., Detective Stajkowski again informed the officers that Appellant's answers indicated deception. By 7:45 p.m., Appellant left Detective Stajkowski's office and proceeded to give a five-page written statement describing his involvement in the murders. Appellant's written statement commenced at 8:15 p.m. and concluded at 10:15 p.m., following which Appellant was transported to the Berks County prison in connection with the parole violation. The Commonwealth did not file the criminal complaint charging Appellant with the murders until December 23, 1996. At trial, the entire text of Appellant's written statement was read to the jury. In denying Appellant's pretrial motion to suppress his written statement, the trial court concluded that Appellant was in custody on the parole violation warrant after he voluntarily surrendered himself at the District Attorney's Office. However, the trial court also concluded that because Appellant was not arrested on the murder charges until December 23, 1996, Rule 123 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure [10] and the Davenport/Duncan six-hour rule were not implicated in the statements voluntarily given by the Appellant to the police regarding the murders of the Banks cousins. The threshold question that we must address is whether the Davenport/Duncan six-hour rule applies where a defendant is subject to a custodial interrogation that is unrelated to the purpose for which he or she has been detained. As previously noted, this Court created the Davenport/Duncan rule to safeguard a defendant's right to a speedy arraignment by requiring suppression of statements given more than six hours after arrest but before arraignment on the charges for which the defendant was arrested. [11] However, we have held that the protections of the Davenport/Duncan rule are offense-specific, and that the arrest of a suspect for one criminal offense does not commence the six-hour period for questioning regarding a separate criminal offense. See Commonwealth v. Washington, 547 Pa. 563, 692 A.2d 1024 (1997), cert. denied, 523 U.S. 1006, 118 S.Ct. 1190, 140 L.Ed.2d 320 (1998) (refusing to suppress defendant's confession to murder on Davenport/Duncan grounds where defendant was arrested on an unrelated charge and confessed during an interrogation that occurred more than thirty hours after his arrest on the unrelated charge); Commonwealth v. Bond, 539 Pa. 299, 652 A.2d 308 (1995) (although defendant in custody for forty-eight hours prior to giving statement, no violation of Davenport/Duncan because defendant was initially arrested on a separate charge). As we stated in Bond, [t]he fact that appellant was in custody for a different offense at the time he was arrested for the instant matter is not relevant to a determination of whether the six-hour rule was violated when he confessed to the second murder. Id. at 312. Appellant's subsequent arrest ... for a different crime began a separate event for purposes of the legal requirements of Duncan.  Id. We do not believe it wise to extend the protections of Davenport/Duncan to custodial interrogations where the defendant has not been placed under arrest for the crime about which he or she is being questioned. The limited function of Davenport/Duncan simply does not apply where a defendant has not been placed under arrest and his or her right to a speedy arraignment has not been triggered. [12] That is not to say, however, that a defendant loses all protections against coercion of statements during a custodial interrogation. Those statements must always be the product of a knowing, voluntary and intelligent waiver of one's Miranda rights. See Commonwealth v. Williams, 539 Pa. 61, 650 A.2d 420 (1994). Because Appellant was not under arrest for the murders of the Banks cousins when he gave the challenged statement, the statement was not obtained in violation of the Davenport/Duncan rule, [13] and since it was given voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently by Appellant, the trial court was correct in denying his motion to suppress.
Appellant next claims that the trial court erred when it denied his motion for change of venue or venire. The determination of whether to grant a change of venue rests within the discretion of the trial court and will not be disturbed absent an abuse of that discretion. Commonwealth v. Counterman, 553 Pa. 370, 719 A.2d 284, 293 (1998), cert. denied. ___ U.S. ___, 120 S.Ct. 97, 145 L.Ed.2d 82 (1999). This is so because it is the trial court that is in the best position to assess the atmosphere of the community and to judge the necessity of any requested change. Commonwealth v. Karenbauer, 552 Pa. 420, 715 A.2d 1086, 1092 (1998), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1021, 119 S.Ct. 1258, 143 L.Ed.2d 354 (1999). A change in venue becomes necessary when the trial court concludes that a fair and impartial jury cannot be selected in the county in which the crime occurred. Id. Normally, one who claims that he has been denied a fair trial because of pretrial publicity must show actual prejudice in the empanelling of the jury. Commonwealth v. Hawkins, 549 Pa. 352, 701 A.2d 492, 503 (1997). In certain cases, however, pretrial publicity can be so pervasive or inflammatory that the defendant need not prove actual juror prejudice. Commonwealth v. Carter, 643 A.2d at 69. Pretrial prejudice is presumed if: (1) the publicity is sensational, inflammatory, and slanted toward conviction rather than factual and objective; (2) the publicity reveals the defendant's prior criminal record, or if it refers to confessions, admissions or reenactments of the crime by the accused; and (3) the publicity is derived from police and prosecuting officer reports. Commonwealth v. Pursell, 508 Pa. 212, 495 A.2d 183, 187 (1985). Appellant claims that he has met this standard because local media coverage of the homicides was so pervasive that by the time jury selection commenced, seventy-five of one hundred twenty-five jury panel members responded affirmatively when questioned concerning knowledge of the case. This is correct. Seventy-five members of the jury panel did respond to a question by the court if they had ever read anything, heard anything, or seen anything on television about the homicides. N.T. 1/21/98 p. 34. However, jurors are not required to be totally ignorant of the facts of a case. Commonwealth v. Counterman, 719 A.2d at 293. Instead, what is required is a fair and impartial jury. Here, upon further questioning of the panel, it was revealed that only fifteen of those seventy-five had formed any opinion, and not a fixed opinion, about Appellant's guilt or innocence based on the pretrial publicity. All of the fifteen who responded yes to this question were excused for cause prior to the start of individual voir dire. See N.T. 1/21/98 p. 86. Of the twelve jurors and two alternates ultimately selected for Appellant's trial, all stated that they would be fair and impartial jurors when hearing the case before them. We have undertaken an independent review of the entire seven hundred-page transcript of the voir dire proceedings and have concluded that pretrial publicity did not result in the inability to select a fair and impartial jury in Berks County. Accordingly, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Appellant's motion for a change of venue or venire, and Appellant is entitled to no relief on this claim. As a related issue, Appellant contends that the trial court erred in failing to ask potential jurors question twenty-six of his proposed voir dire questions, which asked If during the course of this trial you recall anything concerning any other proceeding involving Mr. Bridges or this matter, will you bring it to the attention of the Court? This issue requires little comment. The scope of voir dire rests in the sound discretion of the trial judge, whose decision will not be reversed unless palpable error is established. Commonwealth v. Fisher, 545 Pa. 233, 681 A.2d 130, 136 (1996). The purpose of voir dire is to ensure the empanelling of a fair and impartial jury capable of following the instructions of the trial court. Commonwealth v. Marrero, 546 Pa. 596, 687 A.2d 1102, 1107 (1996), cert. denied, 522 U.S. 977, 118 S.Ct. 434, 139 L.Ed.2d 334 (1997). Here, Appellant fails to establish, or even to argue that the denial by the trial court of question twenty-six prejudiced him. Additionally, our review of the record reveals that the trial court properly exercised its discretion in ensuring that a fair and impartial jury tried Appellant, and, accordingly, that there is not due any relief.
Appellant next objects to the rulings of the trial court in striking for cause a juror he claims was not unalterably opposed to the death penalty; in failing to strike for cause the individual selected to serve as juror number twelve; and in not declaring a mistrial during jury selection when juror number three became ill. Appellant first claims that the trial court erred in striking for cause panel member number eighty-three, Pamela Kubacki, who Appellant claims was not unalterably opposed to the death penalty. It is well settled that a court can exclude, for cause, a juror when the juror's views on capital punishment are such as would prevent or substantially impair the performance of his or her duties as a juror in accordance with his or her instructions and his or her oath. Commonwealth v. Stevens, 559 Pa. 171, 739 A.2d 507, 521 (1999). Here, the following exchange took place between the court and Ms. Kubacki: THE COURT: ... And the question is, because of any moral, religious or personal beliefs that you may have, would you be unable to consider imposing the death penalty if it got to that point and you were a member of this jury? A: I think I would find it difficult to personally convict somebody and say that they had to be put to death. THE COURT: Well, I'm sure it's not a real easy thing. I would not think that it would be an easy thing to do. So it would be a difficult question. The thing that you have to look at and tell us, is would you be unable to do that if the law in Pennsylvania as applied to the facts as you found them in the penalty phase would require it? A: I probably would find it difficult to do that, yes, and unable to do that. N.T. 1/22/98 p. 430. The decision of whether or not to strike for cause is yet another decision that is within the discretion of the trial court and we will not disturb its decision absent an abuse of that discretion. Commonwealth v. Fisher, 681 A.2d at 137. The trial court makes the determination based on the prospective juror's answers to questions and demeanor. Commonwealth v. Stevens, 739 A.2d at 521. We find based on the above-recited testimony that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it struck Ms. Kubacki for cause. Appellant next claims that the court erred in failing to strike for cause juror number twelve, who was a former police commissioner and acknowledged that he had some knowledge of the incident. The test for determining whether a prospective juror should be disqualified is whether he is willing and able to eliminate the influence of any scruples and render a verdict according to the evidence, and this is to be determined on the basis of answers to questions and demeanor.... It must be determined whether any biases or prejudices can be put aside on proper instruction of the court.... A challenge for cause should be granted when the prospective juror has such a close relationship, familiar, financial, or situational, with the parties, counsel, victims, or witnesses that the court will presume a likelihood of prejudice or demonstrates a likelihood of prejudice by his or her conduct and answers to questions.... The decision on whether to disqualify is within the discretion of the trial court and will not be reversed in the absence of a palpable abuse of discretion.... Commonwealth v. Wilson, 543 Pa. 429, 672 A.2d 293, 299, cert. denied, 519 U.S. 951, 117 S.Ct. 364, 136 L.Ed.2d 255 (1996) (quoting Commonwealth v. Colson, 507 Pa. 440, 490 A.2d 811, 818 (1985), cert. denied, 476 U.S. 1140, 106 S.Ct. 2245, 90 L.Ed.2d 692 (1986)). Presently, Appellant acknowledges that the juror may have provided the correct answers during his examination... , but nevertheless claims error. We note, however, that the juror indicated to the court that he knew no specifics of the incident and that he could reach a fair and impartial decision based on the evidence presented in the courtroom. See N.T. 1/27/98 pp. 648, 653. For that reason, the trial court did not err in refusing to strike this juror for cause. In his last jury-based claim of error, Appellant claims that the trial court erred when, during jury selection, it did not declare a mistrial after the woman chosen as juror number three became ill and had to be replaced. Appellant claims that the decisions he made during jury selection after selection of juror number three were based on the assumption that juror number three would serve on the jury; that he was left with only four peremptory challenges to select three, rather than two jurors; and that the entire dynamics of jury selection had been altered to his detriment. Appellant relies on Commonwealth v. Saunders, 454 Pa.Super. 561, 686 A.2d 25 (1996), to support his argument that he is entitled to a new trial on this issue. We note, however, that Saunders does not advance Appellant's position because that case dealt with the question of whether a trial court may substitute an alternate juror after the original jury has commenced deliberations. In the instant matter, not only had the jury not commenced deliberations, they had not yet been sworn in as jurors. As stated previously, the purpose of voir dire is to ensure the empanelling of a fair and impartial jury capable of following the instructions of the trial court. Commonwealth v. Marrero, supra . In view of the fact that our review of the record has already revealed that the trial court properly exercised its discretion in ensuring that Appellant was tried by a fair and impartial jury, he is not entitled to relief on this claim of error.