Court Opinion

ID: 9752976
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 18:48:29.643724+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:27:27.008413
License: Public Domain

OLSZEWSKI, Judge,
dissenting:
While I agree with the majority’s disposition of appellant’s challenge to the trial court’s failure to dismiss on the basis of an alleged Pa.R.Crim.P. 1100 violation, I must dissent with the treatment accorded the admissibility of the testimony of the four witnesses.
I agree that the testimony would not be admissible as prior consistent statements made by the child, for the reason that the child’s testimony given at trial did not fully corroborate the testimony given by the four witnesses. It is well-settled that prior consistent statements of a witness *274are admissible to rebut a defense suggestion of corrupt motives or recent fabrication and to rehabilitate the witness’s credibility. See Commonwealth v. Griffin, 511 Pa. 553, 568-569, 515 A.2d 865, 872 (1986), cert. denied Griffin v. Pennsylvania, 480 U.S. 940, 107 S.Ct. 1590, 94 L.Ed.2d 779 (1987); Commonwealth v. Smith, 518 Pa. 15, 40, 540 A.2d 246, 258 (1988). In the present case, I am in agreement with the majority that the testimony of the four witnesses in question exceeded the scope of the child’s testimony and, therefore, was not only rehabilitative, but supplemental to the child’s testimony.
I do not agree, however, that the testimony should have been excluded from the evidence. The record indicates that the jury was instructed to disregard any testimony that was not corroborated by the child-victim as follows:
Members of the jury, some witnesses testified as to things told to them by [S.L.]. This testimony was given prior to the child testifying in this trial. That testimony given by the witnesses that was not corroborated by [S.L.] is to be ignored by you and is not to be used in any way as the basis for a finding of guilt by you. You may only use that testimony of the witnesses, which you believe, and which was corroborated by [S.L.J’s testimony that you believe.
(Trial transcript at 130.)
Contrary to the majority, I believe that this jury instruction effectively cured any harmful effect of the supplemental testimony given by the four witnesses. I would, therefore, not reverse on this ground. Even if reversal were proper on this ground, on remand, the trial court would be required to apply a recent legislative enactment, which would arguably render the testimony in question admissible. 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5985.1 (Purdon 1989), which went into effect on February 20, 1990, and would apply to appellant’s new trial, provides:
§ 5985.1 Admissibility of certain statements
(a) General rule—An out-of-court statement made by a child victim or witness, who at the time the statement *275was made was 12 years of age or younger, describing indecent contact, sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse performed with or. on the child by another, not otherwise admissible by statute or rule of evidence, is admissible in evidence in any criminal proceeding if:
(1) The court finds, in an in camera hearing, that the evidence is relevant and that the time, content and circumstances of the statement provide sufficient indicia of reliability.
(2) The child either:
(i) testifies at the proceeding; or
(ii) is unavailable as a witness and there is corroborative evidence of the act.
(b) Notice required—A statement otherwise admissible under subsection (a) shall not be received into evidence unless the proponent of the statement notifies the adverse party of the proponent’s intention to offer the statement and the particulars of the statement sufficiently in advance of the proceeding at which the proponent intends to offer the statement into evidence to provide the adverse party with a fair opportunity to prepare to meet the statement.
In the instant case, it would be futile to remand for a new trial, as the majority has decided, only to have the testimony admitted under the above statute. In the interests of judicial economy, I believe the testimony was properly admitted into evidence. Additionally, any prejudice that the defendant may have endured by the admission of the testimony was cured by the cautionary instructions given to the jury. Therefore, I respectfully dissent with the analysis of the majority on this issue.