Court Opinion

ID: 9704746
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:45:02.925951+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:05.005428
License: Public Domain

NIX, Justice,
dissenting.
In recent years, the majority has become increasingly more unrealistic in its determination of what is improper argument during the prosecution’s summation in a criminal trial. I am fully in accord with the fundamental principle that unwarranted attempts to inspire prejudice and passion should not be permitted. However, every good rule can be made to appear ridiculous when its application goes beyond the purpose for which the rule was fashioned. In this trial which lasted several days, the majority has seized upon one sentence, uttered by the prosecution in the waning moments of the trial to justify overturning an otherwise unblemished proceeding. Such a result is not only indefensible, but patently absurd.
The remark in question was, “I want blood all over the court room. I want to upset you about this case.” The obvious import of these two sentences was to impress upon the jury the seriousness of the matter that was before them, nothing more and nothing less. While the reference to blood may have been overly dramatic, it did not reach that degree of offensiveness or engender such passion as would justify a conclusion that the defendant was deprived of a fair trial.
Again, I remind the majority of the well-settled doctrine that we are not required to give a defendant a perfect trial. Our responsibility is to see that he is accorded a fair trial, and in my judgment, that responsibility has been met in this case. Commonwealth v. Martinolich, 456 Pa. 136, 162, 318 A.2d 680 (1974); Commonwealth v. Hill, 450 Pa. 477, 480-81, 301 A.2d 587, 590 (1973); Lutwak v. United States, 344 U.S. 604, 619, 73 S.Ct. 481, 97 L.Ed. 593 (1953).
I am therefore of the view that the judgment should be affirmed.