Court Opinion

ID: 4367592
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-02-13 20:40:59.060736+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:49:45.667071
License: Public Domain

PER CURIAM
  
  .
 

   AND NOW,
  
  this 13
  
   th
  
  day of February, 2019, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal is
  
   GRANTED.
  
  The issue, rephrased for clarity is:
 

  Can the tension between the well-settled rule that the Commonwealth bears the burden of demonstrating harmless error beyond a reasonable doubt and the contradictory principle that an appellate court has the ability to affirm a valid judgment or verdict for any reason appearing as of record be reconciled? If these conflicting principles must be reconciled in favor of the Commonwealth proving harmlessness beyond a reasonable doubt, did the Superior Court err in finding harmless error
  
   sua sponte
  
  ?