Opinion ID: 2559519
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Robert Easley stipulation

Text: Appellant testified in his defense at trial that he was not with Green or Rucker on the night of the murder and was nowhere near the location of the shooting. He specifically testified that on the night of the murder, he did not attend a party at the home of Robert Easley. [20] Following Appellant's testimony, counsel stipulated that if the Commonwealth called Easley in rebuttal, he would testify that he saw Appellant at his party. Appellant claims that the stipulation suggested Appellant lied during his sworn testimony and that counsel was ineffective for agreeing to it. The Commonwealth argues that the stipulation about Easley was not an admission that Appellant was at Easley's party, but merely an agreement that Easley would testify that Appellant was there. The PCRA court rejected this claim, finding that the stipulation was not an admission to the truth of Easley's rebuttal testimony, and that counsel had a reasonable strategy to stipulate to Easley's testimony rather than have the Commonwealth produce him as a witness. Specifically, the PCRA court reasoned that entering into the stipulation limited the impact of Easley's testimony, because it prevented a live witness from testifying to Appellant's presence at a party which Appellant denied attending. We agree with the Commonwealth and the PCRA court. Appellant has misconstrued the nature of the stipulation. It was not an admission that Appellant was at Easley's party and therefore lied during his testimony. Rather, it was an agreement that if the Commonwealth called Easley in rebuttal, he would testify that he saw Appellant at the party. The trial court explained to the jury that a stipulation was simply an agreement to incorporate the testimony of a witness who, if called, would testify to exactly what was being stipulated. There is no merit to Appellant's argument that counsel should not have agreed to the stipulation. Moreover, Appellant has not demonstrated that the outcome of the case would have been different if trial counsel had an opportunity to cross-examine Easley. See Commonwealth v. Fletcher, 604 Pa. 493, 986 A.2d 759, 789 (2009) (no ineffectiveness for agreeing to a stipulation by medical examiner where the appellant failed to demonstrate that live testimony would have resulted in a different outcome).