Opinion ID: 2291691
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Tuesday, March 4, 1986. 3:42 p.m.)

Text: Notes of testimony March 4-7, 1986, pp. 49-56. The right to a jury trial may be waived by a defendant if the waiver is knowing and voluntary. Commonwealth v. Williams, 310 Pa.Super. 501, 456 A.2d 1047 (1983). Before a waiver can be adjudged knowing and voluntary, however, there must be some indication that the defendant knows of the essential ingredients of a jury trial. These ingredients are: that the jury be chosen from members of the community, that the verdict be unanimous, and that the accused be allowed to participate in the selection of the jury panel. Commonwealth v. Williams, 454 Pa. 368, 312 A.2d 597 (1973). In the instant case, it is apparent from the record that the defendant was advised of the ingredients of a jury trial and that he understood these ingredients. This contention is, therefore, dismissed as meritless. Appellant next contends that the trial court erred in admitting a photograph which was inflammatory and not relevant to the trial court's understanding of the facts. At the outset we note that the admissibility of photographs is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court whose decision will not be overturned absent an abuse of discretion. Commonwealth v. Yachymiak, 351 Pa.Super. 361, 505 A.2d 1024 (1986). Instantly, the trial court found that the photograph in question, specifically a photograph displaying the victim's lacerated skull, was not inflammatory. We agree. We have examined the challenged photograph and note that while the photograph is not pleasant to view, it is not gruesome or repulsive. It simply displays the nature of the wounds sustained by the victim during the attack. The photograph is in black and white and there is no blood or gore discernable. Moreover, the factfinder at appellant's trial was a judge and not a jury. This factor is significant as: a [trial] judge is sufficiently trained and knowledgeable in the law to realize that he may not allow the potentially inflammatory nature of photographs of a victim's body to sway his judgment. Commonwealth v. Batty, 482 Pa. 173, 178, 393 A.2d 435, 438 (1978) cert. denied sub nom. Smith v. Pennsylvania, 440 U.S. 974, 99 S.Ct. 1543, 59 L.Ed.2d 793 (1979). We therefore dismiss appellant's contention as meritless. Appellant's next allegation of error is that the prosecutor erred in arguing an incorrect standard regarding intent to kill in the felony-murder context. This error was brought to the trial court's attention and corrected before the court rendered its verdict. Initially, we note that appellant was convicted of first degree murder and not second degree murder. [5] With this in mind we fail to see, and appellant has failed to demonstrate, how the prosecutor's misstatement prejudiced him. This contention must therefore be dismissed as meritless. Appellant next contends that the trial court erred in entering a verdict of guilty on the robbery charge when there was no evidence, just speculation, as to when appellant formulated the intent to rob or the intent to kill. When presented with a claim that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the verdict, the test to be applied is as follows: In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence we view the evidence presented and all reasonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth as verdict winner. The test is whether the evidence thus viewed is sufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Commonwealth v. Ferguson, 358 Pa.Super. 98, 516 A.2d 1200 (1986) (citations omitted). A person is guilty of robbery if, in the course of committing a theft, he inflicts serious bodily injury upon another. 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701(a)(1)(i). Thus, the time of appellant's formulation of intent to commit theft is crucial when he has also inflicted serious bodily injury upon his victim. Instantly, appellant testified that he sought entrance to the victim's apartment for the purpose of using the telephone. Appellant further testified that the victim sought to deny him use of the telephone and struck him with a tire iron, whereupon appellant wrestled the instrument from the hands of the deceased and began beating him. Appellant then testified that he did not beat the victim for the purpose of finding out where he kept his money, but that the location of the money was blurted out spontaneously by the victim. The Commonwealth, however, presented the testimony of Detective Condemi who stated that appellant informed the detective in his initial statement that he was aware that the victim kept money in his apartment and during the course of the fatal beating repeatedly asked the victim to show him the location of the money. Detective Condemi also testified that appellant stated that before the victim indicated where the money was, the appellant had been searching everywhere for it. It is well established that the finder of fact is free to believe all, part, or none of the evidence. Commonwealth v. Rodriquez, 316 Pa.Super. 203, 462 A.2d 1310 (1983). Further, in assessing the credibility of defendant's testimony, the factfinder is free to consider that defendant had a vital interest in the outcome of the trial. Id. Finally, It is well settled that it is within the province of the trial judge, sitting without a jury, to judge credibility of the witnesses and weigh their testimony. Allegheny County v. Monzo, 509 Pa. 26, 500 A.2d 1096 (1985). Consequently, credibility determinations are generally not subject to review. Commonwealth v. Pronkoskie, 498 Pa. 245, 445 A.2d 1203 (1982). Commonwealth v. Garcia, 370 Pa.Super. 132, 136, 535 A.2d 1186, 1188 (1988). Instantly, the trial judge, as factfinder, chose to believe the testimony of Detective Condemi. We find no error in this and are satisfied that the evidence presented at trial, when viewed in a light most favorable to the Commonwealth, is sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the elements of the crime of robbery. Appellant further contends that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the judge's finding of first degree murder when there was evidence that appellant was intoxicated before and after the killing of the victim. First degree murder is defined as a criminal homicide committed by an intentional killing. 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2502(a). The term intentional killing is defined as a willful, deliberate and premeditated killing. 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2502(d). The specific intent required for a first degree murder conviction may be negated by a defendant's intoxication. Specifically, in this regard, our Court has stated the following: `Evidence of intoxication, if believed, may operate to negate the intent necessary for conviction of murder in the first degree.' . . . However, drinking and intoxication are not synonymous terms. A defendant must be overwhelmed or overpowered by alcohol to the point of losing his or her faculties so as to be incapable of forming a specific intent to kill before an act of murder will be reduced to murder in the the third degree. Commonwealth v. Stark, 363 Pa.Super. 356, 363, 526 A.2d 383, 387 (1987), appeal denied Commonwealth v. Stark, 517 Pa. 622, 538 A.2d 876 (1988) (citations omitted). In the case at hand, the trial court evaluated defendant's claim that his intoxication prevented him from forming the specific intent to kill. The trial judge explained his reasons for rejecting this claim in his opinion. We are impressed with Judge Novak's reasoning in this regard and see no reason to disturb his decision. [6] Finally, appellant contends that he was denied effective assistance of counsel for the following reasons: (a) The educational level of Appellant was not presented through testimony or stipulation during the suppression hearing. (b) No medical evidence was presented at the suppression hearing to support the medical condition and the alcohol condition of Appellant at the time of arrest. (c) No testimony of witnesses was presented at the suppression hearing to support the alcohol condition of Appellant when said testimony was available at trial. [7] (d) No sufficient interviews of Appellant to sufficiently prepare for trial. (e) No request for recusal of the suppression judge when there was to be a non-jury trial. (f) Permitting the Appellant to testify when said testimony could be used by the prosecution to argue for Murder in the First Degree. Brief for appellant at Argument VIII. The trial judge in this case gave due consideration and aptly discussed appellant's claims of ineffectiveness. We adopt his reasoning with respect to these issues and quote the pertinent portion of the opinion: The defendant lists five instances of ineffective assistance by trial counsel. First, the defendant alleges that the educational level of David Carter was not presented through testimony or stipulation during the suppression hearing. On the contrary, defense counsel cross-examined Detective Anthony Condemi about the defendant's education. During cross-examination, Detective Condemi stated that he was aware that the defendant had gone to school only through sixth grade (N.T. 3/4/86, p. 27; 5/28/87, p. 8). Also, trial counsel testified that he chose not to introduce evidence of the defendant's IQ tests because he felt that testimony regarding the defendant's sixth-grade education more accurately portrayed the defendant's ability to understand than the IQ scores of 79 and 83 which counsel did not find particularly low (N.T. 5/28/87, PP. 8-9). Accordingly, the testimony demonstrates that this allegation is incorrect. Secondly, the defendant alleges that no medical evidence was presented at the suppression hearing concerning the defendant's medical and alcohol condition at the time of arrest. At the post-trial hearing, defense counsel stated that the defendant told him that he was not intoxicated at the time of arrest. Also, according to the medical records, the medication which the defendant was taking was mild and not of a type to affect the defendant's mental capacity (N.T. 5/28/87, pp. 13-15, 17). As such, there was no supportive evidence which trial counsel could have produced concerning the defendant's condition at the time of arrest. Thirdly, the defendant alleges that he was not interviewed sufficiently prior to trial by trial counsel. At the post-trial hearing, trial counsel stated that he and an office investigator interviewed the defendant on separate occasions prior to the Coroner's Inquest for approximately one hour (N.T. 5/28/87, p. 18-19). Also, counsel stated that between the Inquest and the trial, he saw the defendant at the Allegheny County Jail an additional five or six times, including the Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to the start of trial on Monday, March 4, 1986 (N.T. 5/28/87, pp. 20-24; 3/4/86, p. 54). Counsel stated that each of these interviews was from one-half to one hour in length (N.T. 5/28/87, p. 23). As such, we find that counsel's pre-trial contact with the defendant was sufficient and it enabled counsel to more than adequately prepare for trial. Fourthly, the defendant alleges that trial counsel should have requested that we recuse ourself due to our suppression of the defendant's taped inculpatory statement. At the post-trial hearing, trial counsel stated that the defendant was adamant that he wanted to be tried by this member of the bench rather than by another judge. Further, trial counsel felt that the short suppressed statement in which the defendant did not actually inculpate himself was not damaging in that the court had refused to suppress the defendant's lengthy oral confession (N.T. 5/28/87, p. 28-29). As we cannot refute counsel's statement concerning the defendant's desire to be tried before this member of the Court and we agree with counsel's strategy concerning the suppressed taped statement, we cannot find that counsel was ineffective in this manner. Fifthly, the defendant alleges that counsel was ineffective in permitting the defendant to testify. At the post-trial hearing, trial counsel stated that the defendant wanted to testify and give his side of the story. Additionally, counsel felt that the defendant's testimony was essential to establish the defendant's level of intoxication in order to show that the defendant did not possess the specific intent to kill (N.T. 5/28/87, pp. 34-35). Accordingly, as counsel needed the defendant's testimony in order to establish his case, we cannot find that counsel was ineffective. In summary, all of the defendant's allegations question counsel's trial strategy. We are not able to conclude that counsel's actions had no reasonable basis. Nor are we able to conclude that counsel's actions or inactions were in any way prejudicial to the defendant. In fact, we conclude quite the contrary. Trial counsel effectively and zealously represented the defendant during all proceedings before this court, and therefore, we find the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel to be without merit. Trial court opinion 9/28/87, pp. 21-24. For the above stated reasons, we find all of appellant's contentions to be meritless. Judgment of sentence affirmed.