Court Opinion

ID: 9762838
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:32:08.508653+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:37.824964
License: Public Domain

*183WIEAND, Judge,
dissenting:
I continue to be of the opinion that the Commonwealth does not have a right to appeal from a trial court’s mid-trial determination that the evidence is insufficient to sustain a finding of guilt. My reasons have been stated in Commonwealth v. Smalis, 331 Pa.Super. 307, 480 A.2d 1046 (1984). Although Smalis was reversed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania sub nom. Commonwealth v. Zoller, 507 Pa. 344, 490 A.2d 394 (1985), the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari on November 4, 1985.
The majority reverses the trial court’s mid-trial determination and remands for a new trial. In my judgment, a second trial is barred by principles of double jeopardy. Because this issue is now before the Supreme Court of the United States, however, judicial economy would best be served by deferring our decision in this case until such time as the Supreme Court has decided whether a retrial will offend the double jeopardy clause of the Constitution of the United States.