Court Opinion

ID: 9728311
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 14:04:37.042817+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:47.561578
License: Public Domain

*16Dissenting Opinion by
Mb. Justice Mandeeino :
I dissent. As the majority notes, a critical stage is a situation where legal rights may be preserved or lost, or where some factual or legal disadvantage may be suffered by the accused. The questioning of a defendant at any time by government officials before final judgment of sentence requires the assistance of counsel or a waiver of such assistance. The criminal prosecution is not completed until final judgment, and the defendant is entitled to the assistance of counsel during the entire criminal prosecution under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Art. I, §9 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Any official can very easily consult with defendant’s counsel during the period between conviction and sentencing. In most cases, no doubt, counsel will advise that the defendant answer questions, but this is a decision for the defendant with the assistance of counsel. The Fifth and Sixth Amendment protections and the protections of Art. I, §9 of the Pennsylvania Constitution do not cease during pre-sentencing investigations.