Opinion ID: 1926775
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Trial Court's Kloiber Instruction:

Text: Trivigno's last assertion that counsel erred is that he failed to object to one of the judge's instructions regarding witness identification testimony. Trivigno posits that the trial court improperly instructed the jury about the import of identification testimony of Rivera and Cheryl Varano. We reject this claim. The trial court instructed the jury in accordance with the Pennsylvania Suggested Standard Jury Instructions (Crim) § 4.07. In relevant part, the court charged the members of the jury to view the identification testimony with caution if they found that the witness had an obstructed view, or if they found inconsistencies in the testimony of the witnesses; but, if they did not so find, they could treat the identification as a statement of fact. This instruction is based on Commonwealth v. Kloiber, 378 Pa. 412, 106 A.2d 820(Pa.), cert. denied, 348 U.S. 875, 75 S.Ct. 112, 99 L.Ed. 688 (1954), and we specifically approved of it in Commonwealth. v. Henderson, 497 Pa. 23, 438 A.2d 951, 958 (1981). Thus, even if we now determine that the instruction was improper, which we decline to do, the charge was appropriate at the time and counsel had a reasonable basis not to object to it. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Porter, 556 Pa. 301, 728 A.2d 890, 900 (1999) (trial counsel is not ineffective for failing to anticipate change in the law.). Trivigno cannot establish that his counsel was ineffective and he is not entitled to a new trial.