Opinion ID: 2313030
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Issues of Agreement

Text: I agree that defendant was not entitled to review privileged psychiatric records of the victim. The dictates of Pennsylvania v. Richie, 480 U.S. 39, 107 S.Ct. 989, 94 L.Ed.2d 40 (1987), regarding defense access to such materials were complied with fully. I wholeheartedly agree with the majority's rejection of appellant's attempt to construe Commonwealth v. Kyle, 367 Pa.Super. 484, 533 A.2d 120 (1987), appeal denied 518 Pa. 617, 541 A.2d 744 (1988), as limiting the privilege against disclosure to cases when the Commonwealth, as well as the defendant, has been denied full access to the file. I note that in such cases the Commonwealth stands in a relationship to the victim sufficiently analogous to the attorney/client relationship to warrant continuation of the patient/client privilege after disclosure of information covered by that privilege to the Commonwealth's prosecuting attorney. Moreover, disclosure of such information to the Commonwealth attorney may be both necessary and appropriate to avoid questions opening the door to cross-examination regarding privileged matters at trial. In the past, some defense counsel made a practice of smearing sexual assault victims with irrelevant innuendo and character assassination. Unlimited access to privileged psychiatric or counseling records would not only be invasive by itself, but would also provide ammunition for a renewal of such assaults. Today, fortunately, a more enlightened approach prevails, and defense counsel is only provided with such information when the trial court, upon in camera inspection, deems the material relevant to legitimate issues at trial. All other information remains, as it should be, privileged and confidential. I also agree that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in permitting the Commonwealth to redirect Ms. Jean Fortins regarding a conversation the witness had with appellant, despite the fact that the redirect examination was outside the scope of the cross-examination of that witness. Such matters are within the sound discretion of the trial court. When, as here, neither bad faith nor prejudice is indicated by the variance in the order of the presentation of the evidence, the action of the trial court will be upheld. See Commonwealth v. Johnson, 355 Pa.Super. 123, 139-44, 512 A.2d 1242, 1251-52 (1986); accord Commonwealth v. King, 378 Pa.Super. 553, 549 A.2d 195 (1988). Finally, I agree that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in limiting appellant's cross-examination regarding an incident when another person allegedly entered the bathroom when the victim was in the shower, or in refusing to admit blood stained panties in support of appellant's claim that he could not have raped the victim because the panties established that she was still a virgin after the time that she was alleged to have been raped. Such matters are left to the sound discretion of the trial court. See Commonwealth v. Grove, 363 Pa.Super. 328, 346, 526 A.2d 369, 378 (1987). The evidence here vaguely, if at all, supported the inferences urged by appellant and presented a substantial risk of confusion and distraction on wholly collateral issues. Hence, I find no abuse of discretion in the decision to exclude the evidence. Here ends my agreement with the majority.