Opinion ID: 1436760
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Verdict was Against the Weight of the Evidence

Text: In a rather summary fashion, the Appellant alleges that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence. [7] As this Court has repeatedly stated, [t]he decision to grant or deny a motion for a new trial on the ground that the verdict is against the weight of the evidence is committed to the sound discretion of the trial court. Absent an abuse of discretion its denial of such a motion will not be disturbed. Commonwealth v. Griffin, 511 Pa. 553, 561, 515 A.2d 865, 869 (1986) (citing Commonwealth v. Zapata, 447 Pa. 322, 290 A.2d 114 (1972)). As Appellant has utterly failed to demonstrate that the evidence produced by the Commonwealth was so unreliable or self-contradictory as to make any verdict based thereon against the weight of the evidence, he has failed to carry his burden to show that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the motion for a new trial based on the weight of the evidence. See Commonwealth v. Karkaria, 533 Pa. 412, 625 A.2d 1167 (1993) (quoting Commonwealth v. Farquharson, 467 Pa. 50, 354 A.2d 545 (1976) (an allegation that the verdict is against the weight of the evidence is primarily to be resolved by the trial court as it has the benefit of seeing the witnesses.))