Court Opinion

ID: 9760380
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:51:05.43888+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:11.389202
License: Public Domain

*337Dissenting Opinion by
Gunther, J.:
I dissent. In my opinion, the record is devoid of any evidence necessary to convict the defendants of accessories either before or after the fact. The evidence very clearly discloses that defendants did not know who was to be robbed or when snch robbery was to take place. On the contrary, the evidence discloses an offer on the part of the defendants to dispose of certain stolen cigarettes, which clearly makes out the charge of receiving stolen goods. There is nothing to indicate that the defendants procured, counselled or commanded anyone to commit the felony. In the Commonwealth’s case the following testimony was produced: “Q. Then in regard to the cigarettes you were talking to Izzy about, was there any discussion as to where they were to come from? A. As far as the company’s name, I don’t know. All he knew would be they would be stolen cigarettes. Q. IIow did he know they would be stolen cigarettes? A. Because I told him I would have to steal them.” On cross-examination, the following testimony was elicited: “Q. At that time when you said that you met him, not by prearrangement on his part but on your part, did you have in your own mind the robbing of this Beitler Company? A. No. Q. Did you have in mind at that time the robbery of any company wherein you would get some cigarettes? A. No. Q. But you had no idea in your mind of arranging a robbery of that company? A. I had no idea I could rob them at that time, no. Q. When he introduced you to Mr. Finkelstein that same day of that first meeting before the robbery, you didn’t have any plan to rob the Beitler Company? A. That’s right.”
In Commonwealth v. Giacobbe, 341 Pa. 187, 19 A. 2d 71, the Supreme Court stated “that mere knowledge of the perpetration of a crime does not involve responsibility for its commission, nor does silence following such knowledge make one an accomplice or accessory after the fact.” In Commonwealth v. Guild, 111 Pa. *338Superior Ct. 349, 352, 170 A. 699, we held that mere knowledge of the crime standing alone is not sufficient to convict. Here, the evidence produced in reference to moving the stolen cigarettes and paying for them as well as for the hire of the truck are consistent with guilt of receiving stolen goods but not of being accessory either before or after the fact.
The majority holds that in attacking credibility of a witness involved in crimes of crimen falsi, such credibility can be attacked only for such crimes for which a sentence has .been imposed. Where records of certain criminal offenses are offered for the purpose of impeaching the credibility of a witness, we have said that the records of previous “convictions” must include a judgment of conviction. Such holding, however, does not preclude the asking of a witness whether he has pleaded guilty to or was found guilty of a specific crime involving crimen falsi. If he admits the plea or the verdict, there seems no valid reason why this admission should not be permitted to be used in attacking credibility. It would be a travesty of justice to permit one, who has pleaded guilty to or was found guilty of crimes involving crimen falsi, to testify and then prevent such a witness from being cross-examined to bring out his questioned veracity simply because he had not been sentenced for such crimes. Credibility can have no bearing on whether a witness has been sentenced or not.
For these reasons, I find it necessary to dissent.