Court Opinion

ID: 9759989
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:37:28.233442+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:07.264598
License: Public Domain

Concurring Opinion by
Mr. Justice Roberts:
I agree that appellant’s conviction of murder in the first degree must be reversed and a new trial granted. In my view reversal is required because the trial judge impermissibly expressed his opinion on the degree of appellant’s guilt.
I cannot, however, subscribe to the theory that this Court may, whenever so inclined, ignore the lack of specific objection to an alleged trial error. The majority’s approach to appellate review, usually characterized “basic and fundamental error,” is a peculiar exception to the general rule that the trial court is the proper forum for initial consideration of objections to claimed trial errors. Here, by the majority’s admission, no objection was made to the instruction on burden of proof. This asserted error was, in my view, waived and may not for the first time be considered on appeal.1
*598Furthermore, rule 1119(b) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure is directly contrary to the majority’s conclusion. That rule specifically bars appellate court consideration of allegedly erroneous jury charges when no objection is interposed at trial.
“No portions of the charge nor omissions therefrom may be assigned as error, unless specific objections are made thereto before the jury retires to deliberate. All such objections shall be made beyond the hearing of the jury.”
The plain language of this rule has in the past been ignored by the majority through incantation of the shibboleth “basic and fundamental error.” See Commonwealth v. Jennings, 442 Pa. 18, 25-26, 274 A.2d 767, 770-71 (1971). However, Commonwealth v. Watlington, 452 Pa. 524, 306 A.2d 892 (1973), our most recent case interpreting Rule 1119(b), gave that rule a common sense reading and applied it to bar consideration of an alleged error in the court’s charge for the first time on appeal. See Commonwealth v. Yount, 455 Pa. 303, 318, 314 A.2d 242, 250 (1974). I adhere to this interpretation of our rule.
The majority’s reaching for the burden of proof issue to which to apply its “basic and fundamental error” theory is particularly puzzling in this case. Here, an erroneous jury instruction was recognized as such by defense counsel, specifically objected to, and urged on this appeal as reversible error. This error, properly objected to and preserved for appeal by trial counsel, in my view, compels reversal.
*599Instructing the jury on the degree of guilt, the trial court stated (emphasis supplied):
“If you find the defendant is guilty of murder, you must first determine the degree of murder; that is, whether it is murder in the first degree or murder in the second degree.
“I have said an unlawful homicide committed in the perpetration of or an attempt to perpetrate an arson which is a felony is murder in the first degree.
“It is my opinion, which is not binding upon you— I am going to repeat — which is not binding upon you, that if you find the defendant guilty of murder, you should find he is guilty of murder in the first degree; however, I cannot take away from you, and I do not intend to take away from you, your undoubted right that if you found the defendant guilty, to bring in a verdict of murder in the second degree.
“I have reviewed this with you as to the definitions; however — and I repeat — an unlawful homicide committed in the perpetration of an arson, which is a felony, is murder in the first degree. It is therefore my opinion that if you find the defendant is guilty of what is known in the law as a felony-murder it should be murder in the first degree", however, in my opinion — and I have my opinion, and I have already said this before— is not binding upon you and I cannot take away from you your undoubted right to bring in a verdict of murder in the second degree against the defendant, even though you may have found in your deliberations that the murder was an unlawful homicide resulting from the perpetration of or an attempt to perpetrate an arson.”
Defense counsel immediately objected, asserting that the court had effectively directed that if the jury found murder, it was murder in the first degree.
*600It is well settled that the propriety of a charge to the jury must be assessed by viewing the instruction as a whole. Commonwealth v. Butler, 442 Pa. 30, 272 A.2d 916 (1971). Even taking into account the trial judge’s attempt to remind the jury that his opinion was not binding upon it, I would hold the expression by the trial judge of an opinion on the degree of guilt, if objected to, demands a new trial.
This Court has recently considered the propriety of a trial court’s expressing an opinion as to the guilt of an accused. Commonwealth v. Archambault, 448 Pa. 90, 290 A.2d 72 (1972); Commonwealth v. Motley, 448 Pa. 110, 289 A.2d 724 (1972). In each case, we reversed the murder conviction because each trial judge in his charge to the jury erroneously expressed an opinion on the guilt of the accused. We also noted the tremendous weight which jurors attach to pronouncements by the trial judge.
“ ‘The influence of the trial judge on the jury is necessarily and properly of great weight,’ . . . and jurors are ever watchful of the words that fall from him. Particularly in a criminal trial, the judge’s last word is apt to be the decisive word.” Commonwealth v. Archambault, supra, at 95-96, 290 A.2d at 75 (quoting Bollenbach v. United States, 326 U.S. 607, 612, 66 S. Ct. 402, 405 (1946) (citation omitted)); see Commonwealth v. Motley, supra.
The analysis applied in Archambault and Motley to expressions of judicial opinions of guilt is equally applicable to judicial expressions of opinion on degree of guilt. An accused is denied the right to trial by an impartial jury whatever form the judicial usurpation takes.2
*601The ABA Project on Standards for Criminal Justice, Standards Eelating to the Function of the Trial Judge § 5.6(a) (Approved Draft, 1972), emphasizes that the trial judge’s proper role does not include the expression of personal opinions.
“The trial judge should not express or otherwise indicate to the jury his personal opinion whether the defendant is guilty or express an opinion that certain testimony is worthy or unworthy of belief.”
In view of the devastating impression a trial judge’s opinion makes on a jury, I do not find the cautionary instructions in the instant case sufficient to make the error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Chapman v. California, 886 U.S. 18, 87 S. Ct. 824 (1967); Commonwealth v. Davis, 452 Pa. 171, 305 A.2d 715 (1973); Commonwealth v. Padgett, 428 Pa. 229, 237 A.2d 209 (1968); Commonwealth v. Pearson, 427 Pa. 45, 233 A.2d 552 (1967). See ABA Project on Standards for Criminal Justice, Standards Eelating to the Function of the Trial Judge § 5.6(a) and Commentary at 69 (Approved Draft, 1972).
Thus while I concur in the grant of a new trial, I confine myself to consideration of the error to which specific objection was taken. I would reverse appellant’s conviction on the basis of the prejudicial expression by the trial judge of his personal opinion on the degree of appellant’s guilt.
Mr. Justice Manderino joins in this concurring opinion.

 I have often noted my disagreement with the majority’s basic and fundamental error theory and the lack of any articulated or discernable standard when the “test” should be applied. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Jennings, 442 Pa. 18, 28, 274 A.2d 767, 772 (1971) (concurring opinion, joined by Jones, J.) ; Commonwealth v. *598Lowery, 440 Pa. 361, 367, 269 A.2d 724, 727 (1970) (concurring opinion, joined by Jones, J.) ; Commonwealth v. Myers, 439 Pa. 381, 385, 266 A.2d 756, 758 (1970) (concurring opinion) ; Commonwealth v. Bruce, 433 Pa. 68, 71, 249 A.2d 346, 348 (1969) (concurring opinion) ; Commonwealth v. Johnson, 433 Pa. 34, 38, 248 A.2d 840, 842 (1969) (concurring opinion) ; Commonwealth v. Williams, 432 Pa. 557, 569, 248 A.2d 301, 307 (1968) (dissenting opinion).

 Our cases to the contrary should be repudiated as were those contrary to our holding in Archambault. See Commonwealth v. Archambault, 448 Pa. 90, 95 & n.8, 290 A.2d 72, 74 & n.8 (1972). See, *601e.g., Commonwealth v. Wilson, 431 Pa. 21, 244 A.2d 734 (1968), cert. denied, 393 U.S. 1102, 89 S. Ct. 901 (1969) ; Commonwealth v. Chavis, 357 Pa. 158, 53 A.2d 96 (1947) ; Commonwealth v. Sheets, 197 Pa. 69, 46 A. 753 (1900).