Opinion ID: 1545753
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Motion to preclude impeachment evidence

Text: Next, Appellant claims that he should be awarded a new trial because the common pleas court erroneously denied his pretrial motion in limine to preclude the Commonwealth from introducing certain impeachment evidence should he decide to testify in his own defense. The evidence at issue is proof of his prior convictions, in 1984, 1986, and 1987, for crimen falsi offenses such as theft and receiving stolen property. Admission of such prior convictions is permitted in accordance with the following parameters: (a) General rule. For the purpose of attacking the credibility of any witness, evidence that the witness has been convicted of a crime ... shall be admitted if it involved dishonesty or false statement. (b) Time limit. Evidence of a conviction under this rule is not admissible if a period of more than ten years has elapsed since the date of the conviction or of the release of the witness from the confinement imposed for that conviction, whichever is the later date, unless the court determines, in the interests of justice, that the probative value of the conviction substantially outweighs its prejudicial effect.... Pa.R.E. 609(a), (b). Appellant's specific focus is on the court's weighing exercise undertaken pursuant to Rule 609(b), as the parties agree that the convictions were not per se admissible under Rule 609(a) due to their age. Appellant states that the trial court erred in concluding that the probative value of the evidence outweighed its prejudicial effect because, in his view, all of the relevant factors that this Court has delineated militated against admission. See Brief for Appellant at 40-43. [18] The Commonwealth counters that the trial court acted within its discretion in allowing the convictions under Rule 609(b), as the prior offenses did not suggest a propensity to commit first-degree murder and, moreover, Appellant's credibility was an issue on retrial because the jury had to determine whether he had the specific intent to kill Milano. The Commonwealth additionally highlights the trial court's observation that it permitted Appellant to renew his in limine motion at the conclusion of the Commonwealth's case, but that Appellant chose not to do so, see Brief for Commonwealth at 56 (quoting Commonwealth v. Laird, Crim. No.1988-746, at 31 (C.P.Bucks, July 26, 2007)), and posits that, after the Commonwealth had rested its case, Appellant most likely decided not to testify because, at that point, he knew that he could be cross-examined with his prior testimony, which advanced a contradictory defense. See id. at 57. We will address this latter contention first, as it raises an issue that we find dispositive. Preliminarily, we note that the decision to admit or exclude evidence is committed to the trial court's sound discretion and its evidentiary rulings will only be reversed upon a showing that it abused that discretion. Such a finding may not be made merely because an appellate court might have reached a different conclusion, but requires a result of manifest unreasonableness, or partiality, prejudice, bias, or ill-will, or such lack of support so as to be clearly erroneous. Commonwealth v. Sherwood, ___ Pa. ___, ___, 982 A.2d 483, 495 (2009). Furthermore, an erroneous ruling by a trial court on an evidentiary issue does not necessitate relief where the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Commonwealth v. Markman, 591 Pa. 249, 277, 916 A.2d 586, 603 (2007). Here, Appellant is requesting relief based on the trial court's decision to allow the admission of evidence that was never actually admitted. Recognizing this feature of the case, Appellant contends that he was prejudiced because he would have exercised his right to testify in his own defense if he had known that the Commonwealth would have been precluded from impeaching his credibility with his prior convictions. The difficulty with this factual premise is that the record does not adequately support it. To understand why, some further background is helpful. On December 13, 2006, several weeks before trial, the common pleas court convened a hearing to discuss various pretrial motions, including Appellant's in limine motion to exclude his crimen falsi convictions. The Commonwealth requested that the trial court reserve judgment on the motion until after Appellant actually testified, and defense counsel stated that he would not oppose such a course of action. See N.T. Dec. 13, 2006, at 5. The trial court indicated, however, that waiting until after Appellant's testimony was unsatisfactory, as it would deprive Appellant of the ability to make an intelligent decision as to whether or not to testify. The court then expressed its tentative view that the Commonwealth would probably be entitled to introduce the convictions, but qualified its position by observing that it did not know what evidence would be elicited at trial, and so it would permit Appellant to renew the motion at the conclusion of the Commonwealth's case. See id. at 6. As discussed, Appellant did not renew his motion after the Commonwealth rested; further, he did not provide any explanation on the record for his failure to renew. We conclude, initially, that the trial court did not err in deferring a definitive ruling on the motion until the close of the Commonwealth's case-in-chief: the court was aware that, at that juncture, it would be able to re-assess its preliminary determination in light of the evidence adduced during the prosecution's case. The court was additionally cognizant that, as the trial developed, the defense might change its strategy and ultimately decide for independent reasons that it would be best for Appellant not to testify, thereby mooting the issue. See id. (reflecting the trial court's statement that I don't know what's going to be developed at trial, and I will allow as [sic] to renew this [motion] at the conclusion of the Commonwealth's case should you wish to renew it.  (emphasis added)). Appellant does not presently argue that he was unable to renew his motion, or proffer any reason why the trial court was obligated to make a final decision at the December 13th pretrial hearing, nor has he elected to file a reply brief disputing the Commonwealth's theory that he ultimately decided not to testify because he knew that any testimony supporting his diminished capacity defense was susceptible of impeachment with his testimony from the first trial. The Superior Court faced a nearly identical situation in Commonwealth v. Bellamy, 293 Pa.Super. 95, 437 A.2d 1007 (1981), and explained that we cannot tell from the record why counsel did not renew the motion to suppress, nor whether his failure to do so was a substantial factor in appellant's decision not to testify. Accordingly, we must remand for an evidentiary hearing. Id. at 96, 437 A.2d at 1008 (citing, inter alia, Commonwealth v. Hubbard, 472 Pa. 259, 372 A.2d 687 (1977)). On remand, new counsel was appointed so that Bellamy could pursue an ineffective assistance of counsel claim based on his trial counsel's failure to renew the motion to exclude the evidence of his prior convictions. See Commonwealth v. Bellamy, 321 Pa.Super. 471, 468 A.2d 806 (1983) (opinion after remand). We find the Superior Court's reasoning and disposition appropriate, except that the Hubbard rule has since been replaced by the rule established in Commonwealth v. Grant, 572 Pa. 48, 67, 813 A.2d 726, 738 (2002), pursuant to which any remaining claim predicated on ineffective assistance must await collateral review. That is the only remaining potential claim stemming from Appellant's motion in limine; it is not raised presently and, as noted, could not be resolved during the present appeal even if it had been raised.