Court Opinion

ID: 9763636
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:50:55.496218+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:47.036151
License: Public Domain

*97CERCONE, Judge,
dissenting:
I must respectfully dissent as I find that the police were without probable cause to effect appellant’s arrest, at his home, shortly after the stabbing of Richard Moore.
The existence of probable cause to arrest a suspect is dependent upon whether at the time of the arrest, the facts and circumstances within the knowledge of the police, or of which they have reasonably trustworthy information, would have caused a person of reasonable caution to believe that the suspected individual committed the criminal act. Commonwealth v. Mack, 313 Pa.Superior Ct. 372, 459 A.2d 1276 (1983). Each case must be reviewed in light of its own unique facts and circumstances. Id. In assessing the presence or absence of probable cause, we must remember that the police may rely upon information supplied by another person, where there is a substantial basis for crediting that source. Commonwealth v. Rutigliano, 310 Pa.Superior Ct. 364, 456 A.2d 654 (1983).
I believe that Commonwealth v. Sorrell, 319 Pa.Superior Ct. 103, 465 A.2d 1250 (1983), controls the disposition of this case. In Sorrell, a co-defendant’s brother indicated to the police that the defendant was involved in the crime being investigated. As there was no indication as to why the police had reason to believe the informant, such information could not justify the defendant’s arrest and therefore, statements arising from such illegal arrest had to be suppressed.
Similarly, here no reason was given as to why appellant’s brother was thought to be trustworthy.1 An informant’s mere suspicion will not establish probable cause. Commonwealth v. Allessie, 267 Pa.Superior Ct. 334, 406 A.2d 1068 (1979). Without added information, the police could only rely upon the deceased’s reference to “Wilbert.” Admittedly, such dying declaration does greatly reduce the proportion of the populace who could have been responsible, however it still included too large a group to have reason*98ably concluded that any particular Wilbert was responsible. Descriptions applicable to large numbers of persons will not support a finding of probable cause. Commonwealth v. Jackson, 459 Pa. 669, 331 A.2d 189 (1975); Commonwealth v. Bynum, 265 Pa.Superior Ct. 13, 401 A.2d 776 (1979).
The unique facts of this case distinguish it from Commonwealth v. Canady, 500 Pa. 624, 459 A.2d 715 (1982). There, probable cause was established by the fact that, the defendant and the victim had been observed together late in the evening of the night when the victim disappeared, and by information of a prior incident between the victim and defendant. Whereas, in the case at hand, while appellant’s brother referred to prior dealings between the victim and appellant, the police had no information, at that time, that appellant and the victim had been seen together on the night of the stabbing. Therefore, while the police were justified in suspecting appellant, that suspicion did not rise to the level of probable cause.2 In fact the police even released him the following morning and only re-arrested him when an eyewitness came forward. Suspicion will not substitute for probable cause. Commonwealth v. Kelly, 487 Pa. 174, 409 A.2d 21 (1979).
Nor do I find that the warning, apparently issued by appellant’s mother to appellant, “Wilbert, the cops, get out”, supplies the missing fact needed to legally arrest appellant. Flight in conjunction with other circumstances may supply the authorities with probable cause. Commonwealth v. Derrick, 322 Pa.Superior Ct. 517, 469 A.2d 1111 (1983); Commonwealth v. Gease, 304 Pa.Superior Ct. 433, 450 A.2d 989 (1982). In the current case appellant did not attempt to flee and was arrested without incident. While there are situations where a third party’s words or actions may obviate the need of the police to adhere to procedural niceties, see Commonwealth v. Davis, 331 Pa.Superior Ct. *99285, 480 A.2d 1035 (1984) (knock and announce rule not strictly applied), I fail to see how appellant’s mother’s warnings could provide probable cause, especially when appellant did not follow it up.
While counsel did seek to suppress the incriminating statements on other basis, he did not allege the lack of probable cause. Since in our opinion such a challenge was of arguable merit, counsel should have proceeded on such basis. “Ordinarily, there is little tactical reason for not filing a suppression motion.” Commonwealth v. Felder, 246 Pa.Superior Ct. 324, 337, 370 A.2d 1214, 1220 (1976). Therefore, I am constrained to dissent as I would remand for a suppression hearing on this matter.3

. The brother was not a witness to the stabbing, did not claim that he had talked to appellant about the incident, and testimony was elicited that the brother had not seen appellant on the night in question.

. I commend the police for their efficient investigation of this case and I believe the police were not "required to simply shrug their shoulders", see Commonwealth v. Woodard, 307 Pa.Superior Ct. 293, 453 A.2d 358 (1982), nonetheless I find the information available to them did not amount to probable cause to arrest.

. Much of this testimony discussed above is extracted from the trial counsel’s second hand account of the police officers’ knowledge and the officers’ incident reports which were discussed at the evidentiary hearings. While the burden is upon the Commonwealth to establish probable cause, Rutigliano, supra, the Commonwealth is not put to that burden unless a defendant explicitly voices such a challenge. Commonwealth v. Ryan, 296 Pa.Superior Ct. 222, 442 A.2d 739 (1982). Since trial counsel did not put the prosecution to its test, it is possible that the police could have had additional information justifying appellant's arrest, therefore at this juncture a suppression hearing is warranted and not a new trial.