Court Opinion

ID: 9698254
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 19:45:46.759136+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:39.669446
License: Public Domain

MANDERINO, Justice,
concurring.
I concur in the result. However, because the prosecution raises an issue involving Commonwealth v. Hart, 471 Pa. 271, 370 A.2d 298 (1977), a case with which I disagree, I add these comments. Justice O’Brien’s opinion distinguishes Hart on the ground that here, appellant’s trial testimony differed substantially from his earlier confessions. For reasons detailed elsewhere, I continue to hold the view that admitting appellant’s confession would not be harmless error even if the trial testimony repeated the substance of the *207earlier confessions. See Commonwealth v. Bridges, 475 Pa. 535, 381 A.2d 125, 130-31 (1977) (Roberts & Manderino, JJ., dissenting); Commonwealth v. Hart, 471 Pa. 271, 275-77, 370 A.2d 298, 300-01 (1977) (Nix & Roberts, JJ., dissenting); id. 471 Pa. at 275, 370 A.2d at 300 (Manderino, J., concurring); Commonwealth v. Saunders, 459 Pa. 677, 683, 331 A.2d 193, 195 (1975) (Nix & Roberts, JJ., dissenting). See also Commonwealth v. Rice, 477 Pa. 221, 383 A.2d 903 (1978) (Manderino & Nix, JJ., opinion in support of reversal).