Court Opinion

ID: 9641499
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:33:15.223965+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:37.916241
License: Public Domain

SPAETH, Judge,
concurring.
I join in the majority’s disposition but note that threatening the witness Berkley was inexcusable. I see no reason for ever allowing a police officer or any other agent of the Commonwealth to threaten a witness for the defense. The officer’s statement in this case was not, as the majority implies, at 1020, a mere warning to Berkley concerning his privilege against self-incrimination. See Commonwealth v. DiGiacomo, 463 Pa. 449, 345 A.2d 605 (1975). On the contrary, it was a threat that if he testified, charges would be brought against him regardless of what he said. See generally Webb v. Texas, 409 U.S. 95, 93 S.Ct. 351, 34 L.Ed.2d 330 (1972); United States v. Morrison, 535 F.2d 223, 226-27 (3d Cir. 1976); Commonwealth v. DiGiacomo, supra; Commonwealth v. Jennings, 225 Pa.Super. 489, 311 A.2d 720 (1973).
I nevertheless agree that the evidence, including the attorney’s testimony that he wasn’t coerced and that the decision not to testify was based on other factors, demonstrates that the Commonwealth did not “effectively dr[i]ve the witness off the stand.” Webb v. Texas, supra, 409 U.S. at 98, 93 S.Ct. at 353. Thus appellant’s counsel was not ineffective.
I also note that Commonwealth v. Jennings, supra, does not require that the witness testify that he was coerced; nor do I read the majority opinion in this case as establishing such a requirement. Where a threat is made and thereafter the witness refuses to testify, coercion may be assumed, *468unless, as in the case at bar, evidence shows that the decision not to testify was not caused by the threat.