Opinion ID: 2395763
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to issue corrupt source and second degree murder charges

Text: The third and fourth of Williams' grounds for relief state his claim that the trial court erroneously failed to issue a corrupt and polluted source charge to the jury in connection with Easley's testimony, as well as an instruction to make second degree murder an available option for the jury in its degree of guilt determination. Williams also argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to request such instructions. With respect to the corrupt source charge, it is well established that, in any case in which an accomplice implicates the defendant, the trial court should instruct the jury that the accomplice is a corrupt and polluted source whose testimony should be considered with caution. See Commonwealth v. Chmiel, 536 Pa. 244, 251, 639 A.2d 9, 13 (1994). The charge is indicated in cases in which the evidence is sufficient to present a jury question with respect to whether the Commonwealth's witness is an accomplice. Id.; see also Commonwealth v. Spence, 534 Pa. 233, 247-48, 627 A.2d 1176, 1183 (1993). Such a jury question is present when the witness could be indicted for the crime for which the accused is charged. Commonwealth v. Sisak, 436 Pa. 262, 268, 259 A.2d 428, 431 (1969). A person may be indicted as an accomplice where the evidence would establish that he knowingly and voluntarily cooperate[d] with or aids another in the commission of a crime with the intent to assist the principal. Id. at 268 & n. 4, 259 A.2d at 431 & n. 4 (citations omitted). See generally 18 Pa.C.S. § 306(c)(1) (setting forth the statutory definition of accomplice). Here, the PCRA court accepted the Commonwealth's argument that a corrupt source charge was not warranted, because there was no evidence presented at trial from which the jury could reasonably have inferred that Easley was an accomplice. We agree. The Commonwealth's evidence established that Williams singled out a random victim and killed him for his own personal reasons apparently related to race. There was no evidence of encouragement or assistance from Easley, nor did his mere presence at the crime scene render him an accomplice. See generally Commonwealth v. Smith, 480 Pa. 524, 528, 391 A.2d 1009, 1011 (1978). Moreover, although there was evidence that Williams and Easley had earlier discussed the possibility of committing a robbery, nothing was presented which would in any way link such discussion to the killing, nor was there evidence of any act or event connected with the murder that would suggest that a robbery was intended. These circumstances are markedly different from those present in other cases in which this Court has found the accomplice instruction necessary. See, e.g., Chmiel, 536 Pa. at 251, 639 A.2d at 13 (finding a corrupt source instruction required where the evidence revealed an intent on the part of the Commonwealth's chief witness to aid in the commission of a robbery); Commonwealth v. Bricker, 525 Pa. 362, 370-75, 581 A.2d 147, 150-53 (1990)(holding that the evidence established that the Commonwealth's chief witness, testifying pursuant to a plea agreement and as a participant in the federal witness protection program, was a co-conspirator to a murder). See generally Commonwealth v. Derk, 553 Pa. 325, 719 A.2d 262 (1998)(equally divided Court). Additionally, an accomplice instruction would have contradicted Williams' defense that neither he nor Easley was present at the scene of or involved in any way in the killing. See generally Commonwealth v. Karabin, 493 Pa. 249, 252-53, 426 A.2d 91, 93 (1981)(finding trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to request a corrupt source charge in a murder trial, where such instruction could have derogated the defendant's trial theory that he did not perform the killing). For the same reason, Williams' assertion that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to request a jury instruction concerning second degree murder fails. Such instruction is not required where the evidence is insufficient to establish a jury question as to whether the killing occurred during the perpetration of a robbery, or another enumerated felony. See 18 Pa. C.S. § 2502(b), (d); see generally Commonwealth v. Lark, 548 Pa. 441, 455, 698 A.2d 43, 50 (1997). Thus, in this case, the absence of evidence that a robbery was intended defeats the claim of entitlement to the jury charge. See id.; Commonwealth v. Williams, 490 Pa. 187, 190, 415 A.2d 403, 404 (1980). Since the evidence was insufficient to present a jury question both as to whether Easley was an accomplice and as to whether the murder was committed during the course of a felony, counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to request the inapposite corrupt and polluted source and second degree murder jury instructions. See generally Watley, 548 Pa. at 580, 699 A.2d at 1242.