Opinion ID: 3166632
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Admission of StormFront.Org Website Visit

Text: Appellant next asserts reversible guilt and penalty phase error attended reference to his internet visit to a “white nationalist” website in the hours before he committed his deadly acts. He first charges error with the ruling permitting the Commonwealth to introduce guilt phase evidence that he visited the website StormFront.org, identified as a white nationalist, anti-Semitic website, several hours before the shootings began. This evidence was irrelevant to proving intent, Appellant argues, as there was no indication that his crimes were motivated by race or anti- [J-25-2014] - 42 Semitism, and was highly prejudicial as it was used to cast Appellant as a morally reprehensible person who associated himself with the beliefs and attitudes of white supremacists and neo Nazis. Using this evidence to draw an adverse inference, moreover, violated Appellant’s First Amendment right to freedom of association, he argues. Initially, Appellant claims the trial court, in admitting the evidence, erroneously reversed its pre-trial ruling that granted Appellant's motion in limine to preclude testimony describing 41 pages of Appellant’s postings on the StormFront.org website. At the pre-trial hearing, the court determined that Appellant’s racist comments posted on the website were irrelevant to his state of mind during the alleged attack on police because nowhere in his postings had he endorsed or threatened violence against police. THE COURT: Perhaps I am missing something. Even if the Commonwealth were able to establish by some standard that Mr. Poplawski harbored -- and I’m not saying he did harbor -- racist or antiSemitic views, what does that have to do with this case? PROSECUTOR: Well, Your Honor, he expressed -- THE COURT: He is alleged to have shot three police officers in uniform and on duty. PROSECUTOR: One of which is an African American. THE COURT: Oh, come on. First through the door, last though the door, you’re seriously going to tell me that he shot Sciullo and Mayhle to get to Kelly? Is that what we’re P PROSECUTOR: That’s not what I am saying, Your Honor. I am saying he has expressed animus toward police officers, toward African Americans and to just about every other race and nationality on the face of the earth.