Court Opinion

ID: 9892950
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-25 16:10:08.22653+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:50:50.964220
License: Public Domain

J-A18018-23

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT O.P. 65.37

  COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA                 :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
                                               :        PENNSYLVANIA
                                               :
                v.                             :
                                               :
                                               :
  MARTAZ JAYQUAN ARRINGTON                     :
                                               :
                       Appellant               :   No. 777 WDA 2022

        Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered May 26, 2022
   In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County Criminal Division at
                      No(s): CP-02-CR-0007790-2020

BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., LAZARUS, J., and KUNSELMAN, J.

MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J.:                           FILED: OCTOBER 25, 2023

       Martaz Jayquan Arrington appeals from the judgment of sentence,

entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, following his

conviction of interference with custody of children.1 After review, we affirm.

       The trial court provided the following factual summary:

       [O]n June 17, 2020[,] at 11:24 a.m., Allegheny County Children
       Youth & Families ([]CYF[]) caseworker Darlene White arrived at a
       residence located at 1108 West North Street in the Manchester
       area of Pittsburgh to execute an Emergency Protective Order
       [(EPO)] that was signed by the Honorable [] Paul Cozza on June
       15, 2020. This EPO directed the removal of two minor children
       from the home. CYF had requested the EPO due to [Arrington’s
       and Keaira Wallace’s (Mother)] unaddressed mental health and
       drug and alcohol issues. [Caseworker White] was accompanied
       on that date by the maternal grandmother and CSI caseworker
       Victoria Palermo. After knocking on the door and not receiving a
       response, [] White, [] Palermo, and the maternal grandmother

____________________________________________

1 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2904(a).
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       were given access to the residence by a representative of the
       Housing Authority.[2]

       [] White proceeded to the second floor of the residence and
       observed [Mother] and [Arrington] in bed. [] White was familiar
       with Mother and [Arrington], as she had been working with the
       family for several months prior to June 17, 2020. [] White told
       Mother why they were there and provided her with copies of the
       [EPO]. Mother began to cry hysterically, and told [Arrington] why
       [] White was there. [] White proceeded to the third[-]floor
       bedroom and retrieved the older child, who was [seven] years old.

       [] White returned to the second floor to retrieve the younger child,
       who was [] two years old. Mother then asked [Arrington] to
       retrieve their young[er] child from her bedroom. As [] White was
       picking up the young[er] child from her bed, [Arrington] came into
       the room, told her to “give him his MF-ing daughter,” and grabbed
       the child from [] White’s hands. [Arrington] then walked into the
       master bedroom. [] White left the residence with the old[er] child,
       and contacted 9-1-1 to obtain assistance retrieving the young[er]
       child. The police and SWAT arrived. After over an hour of
       negotiating, [] White obtained custody of the [younger] child.
       When the [younger] child was released, [Arrington] was no longer
       in the residence.

       [Arrington] testified that he was awoken to find [] White, []
       Palermo, and the maternal grandmother in the hallway outside of
       his bedroom. [Arrington] testified that he knows [] White as the
       CYF caseworker and had previous interactions with her.
       [Arrington] testified that after he observed [] White and maternal
       grandmother retrieve their old[er] child from the third floor, [he]
       assumed the children were being taken by CYF. At that time,
       Mother was crying and told [him] to “go get our baby,” which he
       did. When he went into the young[er] child’s bedroom, [] White
       was also in the room, and [Arrington] grabbed the child.

____________________________________________

2 The Housing Authority representative was about to perform an unrelated
inspection of the residence. See N.T. Non-Jury Trial, 2/28/22, at 13.

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Trial Court Opinion, 11/3/22, at 3-4.3

       The EPO states as follows:

       REASONABLE EFFORTS TO PREVENT REMOVAL FROM HOME

       [T]he [c]ourt hereby finds that to allow this child to remain in the
       home would be contrary to the child’s welfare, and that
       Reasonable Efforts were made by the Allegheny County Office of
       Children, Youth and Families to prevent or eliminate the need for
       removal of this child from the home.

       SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

       Sufficient evidence was presented to prove the child should be
       kept in shelter care and that remaining in the home of Keaira
       Wallace and Martaz J. Arrington . . . is not in the best interest of
       child.

       ORDER – THE VERBAL ORDER IS HEREBY CONFIRMED AND:

       The application for court order of protective custody by the County
       Children and Youth Services agency is hereby granted. []CYF
       Caseworker and/or any duly authorized law enforcement officer is
       authorized to investigate further the surroundings of the above-
       named child and to take the child into custody if the child is in
       imminent danger form his/her surroundings or has run away from
       his or her custodian. If the child is taken into custody, a shelter
       care hearing must be held on the next day that the court is
       available to hear shelter hearings.

       The agency must exhaust all other options before the child is
       placed into foster care or congregate care.

       The agency shall exhaust all efforts to place the child with
       sibling(s) unless joint placement with sibling(s) is contrary to the
       safety or well-being of the child or sibling(s).

____________________________________________

3 We note that the EPO in question appears to be part of a separate docket.

However, only the EPO from that docket is contained in the certified record
before us. Accordingly, we take judicial notice that there was a parallel docket
from which the EPO originated and upon which Judge Cozza based his findings.

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       If the child is taken into custody, the agency shall make every
       effort to place the child with relatives or persons known to the
       child in order to minimize trauma.

                                          ***

       FURTHER ORDERS

       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that: This authorization shall expire
       within seventy-two hours unless the child has been taken into
       custody in the meantime.     Law enforcement officers have
       permission to break into the premises if required by the
       circumstances.

       Such disposition having been determined to be best suited to the
       protection and physical, mental[,] and moral welfare of the child.

Commonwealth Exhibit A, at 1-2 (Emergency Protective Order).

       Arrington was ultimately apprehended and charged with, inter alia, the

above-mentioned offense.4 On February 28, 2022, Arrington proceeded to a

non-jury trial, after which he was convicted of the above-mentioned offense

and found not guilty of simple assault. The trial court deferred sentencing and

ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence investigation report. On May 26,

2022, the trial court sentenced Arrington to one year of probation and ordered

Arrington to complete batterer’s intervention and parenting classes.

       Arrington filed a timely notice of appeal and a court-ordered Pa.R.A.P.

1925(b) concise statement of errors complained of on appeal. He now raises

the following claims for our review:

       [(1)] Whether the evidence was sufficient to convict [] Arrington
       of [i]nterference [w]ith [c]ustody of [c]hildren, where the
____________________________________________

4 Arrington was also charged with aggravated assault, which was later
amended to simple assault.

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       Commonwealth failed to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt that .
       . . he was not privileged to act in the manner in which he did?

       [(2)] Whether the evidence was sufficient to convict [] Arrington
       of [i]nterference [w]ith [c]ustody of [c]hildren, where the
       Commonwealth failed to disprove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the
       statutory defenses raised under [sections] 2904(b)(3) and []
       2904(b)(1)?

Brief for Appellant, at 5.5

       When examining a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we

adhere to the following standard of review:

       The standard we apply in reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence
       is whether[,] viewing all the evidence admitted at trial in the light
       most favorable to the verdict winner, there is sufficient evidence
       to enable the fact-finder to find every element of the crime beyond
       a reasonable doubt. In applying [the above] test, we may not [re-
       ]weigh the evidence and substitute our judgment for the fact-
       finder. In addition, we note that the facts and circumstances
       established by the Commonwealth need not preclude every
       possibility of innocence. Any doubts regarding a defendant’s guilt
       may be resolved by the fact-finder unless the evidence is so weak
       and inconclusive that[,] as a matter of law[,] no probability of fact
       may be drawn from the combined circumstances.                    The
       Commonwealth may sustain its burden of proving every element
       of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt by means of wholly
       circumstantial evidence. Moreover, in applying the above test,
       the entire record must be evaluated[,] and all evidence actually
       received must be considered. Finally, the [trier] of fact[,] while
       passing upon the credibility of witnesses and the weight of the
       evidence produced, is free to believe all, part[,] or none of the
       evidence.

Commonwealth v. Smith, 97 A.3d 782, 790 (Pa. Super. 2014) (citation

omitted).

____________________________________________

5 We have re-ordered Arrington’s claims for ease of disposition.

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      All of Arrington’s claims involve section 2904 of the Crimes Code, which

provides, in relevant part, as follows:

      § 2904. Interference with custody of children

      (a) Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if he
      knowingly or recklessly takes or entices any child under the age
      of 18 years from the custody of its parent, guardian or other lawful
      custodian, when he has no privilege to do so.

      (b) Defenses.--It is a defense that:

         (1) the actor believes that his action was necessary to
         preserve the child from danger to its welfare; or

                                     ***

         (3) the actor is the child’s parent or guardian or other lawful
         custodian and is not acting contrary to an order entered by
         a court of competent jurisdiction.

18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 2904(a)-(b)(1), (b)(3).

      In his first claim, Arrington argues that the Commonwealth failed to

provide sufficient evidence to sustain his conviction of interference with

custody of children. See Brief for Appellant, at 34-38. In particular, Arrington

asserts that he was “privileged” to take the younger child from White and that

the Commonwealth failed to prove that he was not so privileged. Id. at 35-

37. Arrington contends that, as the child’s biological father, he was privileged

to act in opposition to White, who was merely a custodian to the child. See

id. at 36-38.

      Generally, to demonstrate a “taking” in the context of section 2904, the

Commonwealth must show that the defendant accomplished said taking by a

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physical act. See Commonwealth v. Rodgers, 599 A.2d 1329, 1330 (Pa.

Super. 1991) (“A taking from custody connotes a substantial interference with

parental control . . . an affirmative removal of the child is necessary.”)

(quotations omitted);6 see also Commonwealth v. Giese, 928 A.2d 1080,

1083 (Pa. Super. 2007) (same).            After the initial act of taking, the act of

interference continues only if the individual continually maintains the child

outside of the custody of the legal custodian.            See Commonwealth v.

Stewart, 544 A.2d 1384, 1388 (Pa. Super. 1988).

       Instantly, the record reveals that Arrington knowingly and physically

took the two-year-old child from White. See N.T. Non-Jury Trial, 2/28/22, at

15-16, 23-25, 27-28 (White testifying Arrington took two-year-old child from

her). Pursuant to the EPO, White, as an agent of CYF, was a lawful custodian

of the two-year-old child.         See Commonwealth Exhibit A.          Additionally,

Arrington had no privilege to defy the EPO. While Arrington is the biological

father of the younger child, it is beyond cavil that a court order authorized

White to take custody of both children.            See Commonwealth Exhibit A.

Moreover, we observe that Arrington knew he was not supposed to be in the

residence due to a prior court order. See N.T. Non-Jury Trial, 2/28/22, at 47-

48 (Wallace testifying she told Arrington to leave because police were coming

____________________________________________

6 We note that while Rodgers uses the term “parental,” it is used because the

facts of that case dealt with interfering with the parents’ custody of their
children. See id. at 1329-31. The terminology in Rodgers does not preclude
its application to guardians or other lawful custodians, as denoted in section
2904. See 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2904(a).

                                           -7-
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and Arrington was not permitted to be there); id. at 66-67 (Arrington

testifying, after he retrieved the two-year-old child, he jumped out of second-

story window because police were coming and he was not permitted to be

there).   Accordingly, the Commonwealth provided sufficient evidence to

sustain Arrington’s conviction. See Smith, supra.

      In his second claim, Arrington raises two sub-issues, which we address

separately, that the Commonwealth failed to disprove the affirmative defenses

found in subsections 2904(b)(3) and (b)(1), respectively.         See Brief for

Appellant, at 11-33.     In his first sub-issue, Arrington argues that the

Commonwealth failed to disprove his defense under section 2904(b)(3),

where the EPO, by its plain language, did not authorize immediate removal of

the children from the residence, but rather permitted immediate investigation

and removal only if said investigation revealed imminent danger to the welfare

of the children. See id. at 24-25. Additionally, Arrington asserts that he was

not provided with notice of the order because White spoke directly to Mother

and provided Mother with copies, but never told Arrington what was in the

EPO and did not provide him with a copy.        See id. Arrington posits that,

because he was not provided with notice, he could not have been acting

contrary to the order. See id. We disagree.

      Arrington’s arguments are belied by the record. White testified that her

supervisor   and   another   department    in   CYF   conducted   the   required

investigation. See N.T. Non-Jury Trial, 2/28/22, at 27-28 (White testifying

she was not involved in investigation and was just present to take custody of

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children); id. (White testifying her supervisor had conducted investigation and

concluded children were in danger).

      Additionally, Arrington’s next contention, that White never provided

notice of the order to him, is similarly belied by the record. Indeed, it is true

that White did not provide a copy of the order to Arrington. See N.T. Non-

Jury Trial, 2/28/22, at 27 (White testifying she did not provide a copy of EPO

to Arrington); id. at 60 (Arrington testifying White did not give him copy of

EPO). Nevertheless, Arrington was in the same room when White told Mother

that they were taking custody of the children pursuant to the EPO. See id. at

13-14, 27-28 (White testifying: Arrington was in the bedroom under covers;

White told Mother about EPO; Mother asked White “Why are you taking my

children?”).   Moreover, Arrington was familiar with White, as he had been

present at previous interactions with her that involved the children, and

Wallace testified that she told Arrington why White was present that day. Id.

at 43-44, 50, 51-52 (Wallace testifying Arrington was in room; Wallace

testifying she told Arrington why White was there; Wallace testifying Arrington

was present at prior interactions with White and Arrington was familiar with

White); id. at 60-61, 64-65 (Arrington testifying he knew White was from CYF

and she was there to take custody of his children). Accordingly, Arrington’s

claim that he lacked notice is without merit.

      In his second sub-issue, Arrington argues that the Commonwealth failed

to disprove his affirmative defense pursuant to subsection 2904(b)(1). See

Brief for Appellant, at 28-33. Arrington contends that section 2904(b)(1) does

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not require him to have a reasonable belief, but that it is enough to have an

unreasonable belief. See id. (citing Commonwealth v. H.D., 247 A.3d 1062

(Pa. 2021)). Arrington asserts that White’s unannounced arrival after being

let in by the Housing Authority, while Arrington and Mother were sleeping,

created an atmosphere where Arrington, reasonably or unreasonably, felt the

need to protect his child. See Brief for Appellant, at 32-33. We disagree.

      In addressing this claim, we are mindful that our Supreme Court, in

interpreting subsection 2904(b)(1), held that a defendant does not need a

reasonable belief to satisfy the defense.    See H.D., 247 A.3d at 1067-68.

Indeed, the Court reasoned that because the legislature did not specify

“reasonable” belief, a defendant charged with section 2904 may act on an

“unreasonable” belief and still properly invoke the defense in subsection

2904(b)(1). See id.

      Instantly, Arrington’s contention that he acted either reasonably or

unreasonably in an effort to protect his child is also belied by the record. As

noted supra, Arrington knew that White was from CYF. See N.T. Non-Jury

Trial, 2/28/22, at 60-61, 64-65. Additionally, Arrington purportedly only acted

because Mother told him to “go get our baby.” See id. at 45-46 (Wallace

testifying she told Arrington to go get their two-year-old); id. at 61-62

(Arrington testifying he only acted in such a manner because Wallace told him

to do so). Consequently, our review of the record reveals that Arrington did

not have any belief, reasonable or unreasonable, that his child was in danger;

rather, Arrington merely did as Mother instructed. See id.; id. at 61-63, 66-

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68 (Arrington testifying he was “not thinking” and he “had no thought at that

time. It was like an order given and I just followed her orders.”). Accordingly,

Arrington is entitled to no relief.

      Judgment of sentence affirmed.

Date: 10/25/2023

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