Court Opinion

ID: 9705559
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:11:25.852909+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:24:34.587727
License: Public Domain

WIEAND, Judge,
dissenting:
Steven Impellizzeri, the appellant, was tried by jury and was found guilty of numerous offenses, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and kidnapping. During trial, the Commonwealth was permitted to introduce into evidence a sexually explicit magazine entitled “Anal Connections,” which had been seized by police upon execution of a search warrant for appellant’s home. Subsequently, the Commonwealth cross-examined appellant regarding his possession of other sexually explicit materials. These materials had previously been ruled inadmissible by an in limine determination by the trial court, but were allowed at trial on grounds that appellant had “opened the door” to such questioning. With respect to the admission into evidence of “Anal Connections,” the majority concludes that the trial court’s ruling was erroneous. I agree with this determination. Despite its reasoning that the magazine “was not sufficiently probative on the issue of forcible or consensual sex,” however, the majority declines to grant relief. It reaches this result by labelling the error “harmless.” As to the cross-examination of appellant regarding his possession of other sexually explicit materials, the majority concludes that even if appellant did not open the door to such questioning, the error in allowing the cross-examination was also “harmless.” I am unable to agree with the majority’s harmless error analysis. If the evidence had *320been harmless, the prosecution would not have labored so mightily to introduce this prejudicial evidence.
In a search of appellant’s home, police seized the magazine entitled “Anal Connections”, eleven “Hustler” magazines and two pornographic videotapes. In response to a defense motion in limine, the trial court ruled that all such materials, except the “Anal Connections” magazine, would be inadmissible at trial. With respect to “Anal Connections,” the trial court concluded that the “magazine was relevant because of the evidence of anal sex in this case. Defendant’s possession of a magazine indicating an interest in anal sex makes the allegation that anal sex had occurred more probable.” After it had been introduced at trial appellant attempted to explain that the magazine had been given to him by a female coworker and that he had saved it to give to a friend. On cross-examination, the following occurred:'
Q. Now, you stated that a female gave you this magazine about two years ago when you were at Frank’s Nursery? A. That’s correct.
Q. And you were saving it to give to a police buddy?
A. A — A long time Mend.
• Q. Do you save all of your materials to give to him?
A. Yeah, as a matter of fact I do, and I don’t have like a lot of materials as you put it.
Q. You don’t?
A. No.
MS. PARADIS [Assistant District Attorney]: Your Hon- or, may I approach the bench?
THE COURT: Yes.
(Whereupon Counsel approach Side-bar)
THE COURT: Now, you want to introduce the Hustlers? •
MS. PARADIS: Yes, I do,
MS. DICKSON [Defense Counsel]: Your Honor, she opened the door to what she said, all of your materials. The District Attorney is the one who brought up of the materials first. She’s opened up the door, not us.
*321THE COURT: Well, that’s true.
MS. PARADIS: Judge, I believe on direct examination he stated that he saves things to give to him, to this officer. He saves things. So, my reference to all—
MS. DICKSON: Could you keep your voice down, please?
MS. PARADIS: My reference to all of your materials easily referred to the things he saves for that police officer and—
THE COURT: Well, I’ll tell you, but before I admit it, I’ll let you explore the line of questioning before I decide whether you are or not at a point where I think they can be done. I’ll let you explore the line of questioning.
MS. DICKSON: What does that mean, Judge?
THE COURT: Well, she can continue to ask him about it.
MS. DICKSON: Ask him what other materials he has?
THE COURT: Yes, yes.
MS. DICKSON: Your Honor, I’m gonna object to that. That’s what she—
MS. PARADIS: He testified on direct examination that he saves things to give to a police officer.
MS. DICKSON: Can you keep your voice down, please?
THE COURT: Yes, that’s right. That’s what he’s saying now. The objection’s overruled.
MS. DICKSON: And you’re going to allow her to ask him about other materials he’s got?
THE COURT: Yes, yes, that’s what he — He said so. He says he has them. He saves them for the police officer. I want to know what he saves.
Upon conclusion of the side bar conference, the prosecuting attorney was permitted to question appellant extensively regarding his possession of other sexually explicit magazines and videotapes which the trial court had previously ruled inadmissible. In its post-trial opinion, the trial court suggested that appellant had opened the door to this cross-examination by testifying “that he did not have a lot of materials.”
*322I agree with the majority that the magazine, “Anal Connections,” was erroneously admitted into evidence. In this case, there was no dispute that the victim and appellant had engaged in deviant sexual relations. The issue for the jury, however, was whether the acts were consensual (appellant’s version) or accomplished by force (the victim’s version). The “Anal Connections” magazine shed absolutely no light on this issue. The pictures displayed in this magazine, albeit graphic, depicted consensual sexual acts occurring between adult men and women. There was absolutely no evidence to connect this magazine or the photos therein to the issue to be decided by the jury in the instant case. The magazine, therefore, was irrelevant and highly prejudicial. Appellant’s possession of a graphic pornographic magazine served no purpose other than to brand him in the eyes of the jurors as a person of poor moral character and a sexual deviant. To the extent it had any relevancy, moreover, that relevancy was greatly outweighed by its unfair prejudice.
As for the extensive cross-examination of appellant regarding his possession of other sexually explicit magazines and videotapes, I am unable to agree with the trial court that appellant opened the door to this line of inquiry. Contrary to the representation of the prosecuting attorney during the side bar conference, appellant had not testified on direct examination that he “save[d] things” to give to his friend. Appellant’s testimony was limited solely to his reason for possessing “Anal Connections” and in no way implied that he was in possession of other similar items. Nevertheless, the prosecuting attorney endeavored to ask appellant whether he saved “all of [his] materials” for his friend. It seems clear that the only purpose of this question was to delve into appellant’s possession of other sexually explicit materials, an area of inquiry which had already been excluded by the trial court.
The test for determining whether an error is harmless is relatively straightforward. In Commonwealth v. Foy, 531 Pa. 322, 612 A.2d 1349 (1992), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said:
*323It is well established in this Commonwealth that an error can be harmless only if the appellate court is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the error is harmless. Commonwealth v. Story, 476 Pa. 391, 406, 383 A.2d 155, 162 (1978). See also Commonwealth v. Lewis, 528 Pa. 440, 598 A.2d 975 (1991); and Commonwealth v. Williams, 524 Pa. 404, 573 A.2d 536, 538-539 (1990). The burden of establishing that the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt rests with the Commonwealth. Commonwealth v. Story, 476 Pa. at 406, n. 11, 383 A.2d at 162 n. 11.
Error is considered to be harmless where: (1) the error did not prejudice the defendant or the prejudice was de minimis; or (2) the erroneously admitted evidence was merely cumulative of other, untainted evidence which was substantially similar to the erroneously admitted evidence; or (3) the properly admitted and uncontradicted evidence of guilt was so overwhelming and the prejudicial effect of the error was so insignificant by comparison that the error could not have contributed to the verdict. Commonwealth v. Williams, 524 Pa. 404, 573 A.2d 536, 538-539 (1990), citing Commonwealth v. Story, supra.
Id. at 327, 612 A.2d at 1352. See also: Commonwealth v. Nolen, 535 Pa. 77, 85, 634 A.2d 192, 196 (1993). “An error cannot be held harmless unless the appellate court determines that the error could not have contributed to the verdict. Whenever there is a reasonable possibility that an error might have contributed to the conviction, the error is not harmless.” Commonwealth v. Rush, 529 Pa. 498, 503, 605 A.2d 792, 794 (1992). See also: Commonwealth v. Crews, 536 Pa. 508, 529-530, 640 A.2d 395, 405-406 (1994).
In Commonwealth v. Story, 476 Pa. 391, 383 A.2d 155 (1978), the Supreme Court held that “in applying the overwhelming evidence test to determine if an error is harmless, a court may rely only on uncontradicted evidence.” Commonwealth v. Story, supra at 417, 383 A.2d at 168. Before an error may be deemed harmless, “[t]he uncontradicted evidence of guilt must be so overwhelming, and the prejudicial effect of the improperly admitted evidence so insignificant by *324comparison, that it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the error could not have contributed to the verdict.” Id. (emphasis added). In so holding, the Supreme Court cautioned that:
“a conclusion, that the properly admitted evidence is ‘so overwhelming’ and the prejudicial effect of the ... error is ‘so insignificant’ by comparison, that it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the error is harmless, is not to be arrived at lightly.”
Commonwealth v. Davis, supra, 452 Pa. at 178-79, 305 A.2d at 720. Accordingly, we have been reluctant to find an error harmless on the basis of overwhelming evidence.
Our cases support the proposition that in deciding whether an error is harmless because there is properly admitted overwhelming evidence of guilt, the untainted evidence relied upon must be uncontradicted. This follows the test applied by Mr. Justice Rehnquist for the Court in Schneble v. Florida, 405 U.S. 427, 431, 92 S.Ct. 1056, 1059, 31 L.Ed.2d 340 (1972), where the improper admission of a co-defendant’s confession was held harmless because the evidence supporting the prosecution’s theory was “overwhelming” and “not contradicted by any other evidence in the case.”
In Commonwealth v. Henderson, 456 Pa. 234, 317 A.2d 288 (1974), this Court, per Mr. Justice Eagen (now Chief Justice), held an error not harmless under the overwhelming evidence test because there was evidence in the case which contradicted the guilt of the defendant. In that case, we distinguished Commonwealth v. Camm, 443 Pa. 253, 277 A.2d 325, cert. denied, 405 U.S. 1046, 92 S.Ct. 1320, 31 L.Ed.2d 589 (1972) (holding an error harmless), because in Camm “there was no evidence that could have supported acquittal.” 443 Pa. at 268-69, 277 A.2d at 333, quoted at 456 Pa. at 242, 317 A.2d at 293. In Henderson, however, “There was ... evidence to support an acquittal,” and thus the untainted evidence could not be considered overwhelming.
In Commonwealth v. Lasch, 464 Pa. 259, 346 A.2d 547 (1975), the Commonwealth argued that the improper admission of Lasch’s pre-trial statement to the police was harm*325less error, relying on the testimony of an eyewitness and a second individual to whom Lasch allegedly made an incriminating admission. Lasch did not testify at trial and offered no evidence disputing the testimony of the Commonwealth witnesses. This Court nevertheless held that the error was not harmless, reasoning that the defendant’s cross-examination cast doubt upon the credibility of the two witnesses. Accord, Commonwealth v. Davis, supra, 452 Pa. 171, 305 A.2d 715.
In Commonwealth v. Tucker, 452 Pa. 584, 307 A.2d 245 (1973), the Commonwealth improperly cross-examined its own witness. The Commonwealth argued that there was overwhelming evidence of Tucker’s guilt, based upon his in-custody statement implicating himself in the crime. We held that, because the accuracy of this statement was disputed, the evidence of guilt was not overwhelming.
The requirement that the “overwhelming” evidence relied upon be uncontradicted follows from the principle that an error cannot be harmless if “ ‘honest, fair minded jurors might very well have brought in not guilty verdicts.’ ” Commonwealth v. Davis, supra, 452 Pa. at 181, 305 A.2d at 721, quoting Chapman v. California, supra, 386 U.S. at 18, 87 S.Ct. at 829. A jury has the duty to weigh the evidence and resolve conflicts therein. E.g., Commonwealth v. Murray, 460 Pa. 605, 334 A.2d 255 (1975). Unless the evidence is uncontradicted a fair minded juror may well choose to credit the defendant’s, rather than the Commonwealth’s evidence.
The principle is in accord with the proper function of an appellate court. An appellate court is ill equipped to resolve conflicts in the evidence or make findings of fact. See generally Commonwealth v. Rose, 463 Pa. 264, 344 A.2d 824 (1975); Commonwealth v. Oates, 448 Pa. 486, 295 A.2d 337 (1972). As former Chief Justice Traynor has written:
“The appellate court is limited to the mute record made below. Many factors may affect the probative value of testimony, such as age ... intelligence, experience, occupation, demeanor, or temperament of the witness. A trial court or jury before whom witnesses appear is at least in *326a position to take note of such factors. An appellate court has no way of doing so. It cannot know whether a witness answered some questions forthrightly but evaded others. It may find an answer convincing and truthful in written form that may have sounded unreliable at the time it was given. A wellphrased sentence in the record may have seemed rehearsed at trial. A clumsy sentence in the record may not convey the ring of truth that attended it when the witness groped his way to its articulation. What clues are there in cold print to indicate where the truth lies? What clues are there to indicate where the half-truth lies?”
R. Traynor, The Riddle of Harmless Error 20-21 (1970). Resolution of conflicts in the evidence in order to ascertain if the evidence of guilt is overwhelming would involve a usurpation of the factfinder’s function.
We recognize that a guilty verdict indicates that conflicts in the evidence were resolved in favor of the Commonwealth. However, the jury may have relied on the tainted evidence, while unsure of the verity of the untainted evidence. Similarly, the corroboration provided by the tainted evidence may have led the jury to accept the untainted evidence. Unless the evidence claimed to be overwhelming is uncontradicted we cannot conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a jury would have resolved the conflicts in the same manner absent the improperly admitted evidence.
Commonwealth v. Story, supra at 413-417, 383 A.2d at 166-168 (footnote omitted).
In the instant case, the evidence of appellant’s guilt was not uncontradicted. On the contrary, it was directly contested by appellant’s own testimony that the victim willingly accompanied him to his home and consensually engaged in various sexual acts with him. Thus, the key issue for the jury to decide was the credibility of appellant’s version of events as opposed to the version offered by the complaining witness. The majority concludes that the version of the complaining witness, as corroborated by other witnesses, is more credible and, therefore, determines that appellant must be guilty. The *327majority may be correct. I cannot say. My role, in any event, does not require me to make that determination. My role is to determine whether there was error which may have influenced the jury’s verdict. My review persuades me that there was error and that the evidence erroneously received may have influenced the verdict. Because the improper evidence may have impacted on the jury’s verdict, the error was not harmless but prejudicial; and to this extent, the defendant failed to receive a fair trial.
I would reverse and remand for a new trial.