Court Opinion

ID: 9701788
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 22:38:17.839936+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:29.699038
License: Public Domain

MANDERINO, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent. The majority concludes that the nature of the “pretrial’’ suppression hearing is such that it should *499not be considered a part of the “trial,” and that therefore the de novo “trial” should be limited to a re-litigation of guilt or innocence only. The suppression hearing itself, however, is nothing more than a determination of the admissibility of trial evidence, and is held outside the presence of the jury pursuant to Jackson v. Denno, 378 U.S. 368, 84 S.Ct. 1774, 12 L.Ed.2d 908 (1964). The purpose for holding a hearing on the admissibility of certain evidence prior to trial rather than during the course of the jury proceedings is to prevent the uneconomical use of the jury’s time, and as a matter of convenience to the court and to the litigants. The hearing, however, need not necessarily be held “pretrial.” Cf. Swenson v. Stidham, 409 U.S. 224, 93 S.Ct. 359, 34 L.Ed.2d 431 (1972). Questions as to the admissibility of evidence have traditionally been, and remain, an integral part of a trial. The timing of admissibility hearings as to certain evidence does not make them any less a part of the trial.
In a different context, the federal courts have been called upon to define the parameters of a “trial” as that word is used in the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of a “public trial.” In United States v. Kobli, 172 F.2d 919 (3d Cir. 1949) the selection of a jury was held to be part of a public “trial.” In United States ex rel. Bennett v. Rundle, 419 F.2d 599 (3d Cir. 1969), the court recognized that “[a] Jackson v. Denno hearing has more of the characteristics of a testimonial hearing, which is the essence of a trial proceeding, than does the selection of a jury . . .”, and held that for the purposes of the Sixth Amendment’s requirement that an accused be afforded a “public trial,” the “pretrial” suppression hearing was an integral part of the “trial” and must be open to the public also. This requirement was recognized by our Court in Commonwealth v. Bennett, 445 Pa. 8, 282 A.2d 276 (1971). See also United States v. Clark, 475 F.2d 240, 247 (2d Cir. 1973). (“In many criminal prosecutions the disposition of the motion to suppress is as im*500portant as the trial itself, since granting of the motion may require entry of a judgment of acquittal for lack of other proof sufficient to convict.”)
A “pretrial” hearing on the admissibility of the evidence which the prosecution seeks to present to the fact finder is as much a part of the “trial” as a hearing on the admissibility of such evidence would be had it taken place subsequent to the swearing of the jury or to the calling of the first witness.
The majority opinion overlooks the effect that Rule 323(b) of our Rules of Criminal Procedure will have upon an accused’s right to re-litigate questions concerning the suppression of evidence. Rule 323(b) requires that applications to suppress evidence be submitted to the court not later than ten days prior to the beginning of the trial session or the day the case is listed for trial, except in the case where “the opportunity did not previously exist, or the interests of justice otherwise require.” In these situations, Rule 323(b) permits the trial court to hold a hearing on the suppression motion during trial. See Commonwealth v. Williams, 229 Pa.Super. 390, 323 A.2d 862 (1974). Surely an accused on trial in the Municipal Court would have the same right to present a motion to suppress during trial in cases where “the opportunity did not previously exist, or the interests of justice otherwise require.” Under the majority’s reasoning, an application to suppress in the Municipal Court which is not considered “pre-trial,” but which is considered under the exception during “trial” would, of necessity, have to be re-litigated prior to the trial de novo in the Court of Common Pleas. To allow re-litigation of the motion brought during “trial” in the Municipal Court pursuant to the exception, while not allowing the re-litigation of the motion brought “pre-trial” would be a denial of equal protection, and furthermore just doesn’t make sense.
In Colten v. Kentucky, 407 U.S. 104, 92 S.Ct. 1953, 32 L.Ed.2d 584 (1972), the United States Supreme Court *501pointed out that “two-tier” judicial systems are justified on at least two bases. The one being “to provide speedier and less costly adjudications than may be possible in the criminal courts of general jurisdiction where the full range of constitutional guarantees is available [and] second, if the defendant is not satisfied with the results of his first trial he has the unconditional right to a new trial in a superior court, unprejudiced by the proceedings or the outcome in the inferior courts.” Id. at 114, 92 S.Ct. at 1959, 32 L.Ed.2d at 592. (Emphasis added.) The Colten court stated that upon conviction in the first tier of the two-tier criminal justice system a defendant would have the unfettered option of seeking a new trial “with the slate wiped clean” if he so desired. Id. at 119, 92 S.Ct. at 1961, 32 L.Ed.2d at 594. By refusing to allow re-litigation of the pre-trial motion to suppress, the majority forces the defendant, against whom the Municipal Court judge has admitted evidence challenged at a pretrial suppression hearing, to proceed to the de novo trial carrying the burden of the adverse determination of admissibility of evidence. In so doing, he is denied the “full range of constitutional guarantees” normally available in a jury trial. Such a defendant is also prejudiced by the prior proceedings because he or she is not allowed to proceed to the de novo trial “with the slate wiped clean.”
The majority contends that Court Regulation 72-7 works no “deprivation of an accused’s substantive rights.” The basis of this argument is the notion that Rule 1123(b) Pa.R.Crim.P., permits the legal issues raised in the suppression hearing before the Municipal Court to be reviewed on post-verdict motions in the Court of Common Pleas, a court having the authority to overrule the Municipal Court suppression judge on matters of law. See Commonwealth v. Bonser, 215 Pa.Super. 452, 258 A.2d 675 (1969). This, the majority reasons, makes a hearing on the motion to suppress unneces*502sary prior to the trial in the Court of Common Pleas. I cannot agree that no prejudice occurs. Several differences exist between Municipal Court trials and trials in the Court of Common Pleas. Although the majority is correct in its assertion that the Municipal Court is a court of record, and that its judges are fully capable of making determinations of fact and of law, proceedings before the Municipal Court are largely of a summary nature, the case load of the Municipal Court is considerably larger than the Court of Common Pleas, and, because of the nature and the number of the cases involved, the amount of time and effort spent in preparation for any individual case is necessarily much less than is spent in preparation for a criminal trial in the Court of Common Pleas. In many respects, the trial in Municipal Court can be viewed simply as a dress rehearsal for the yet to come trial in the Common Pleas Court. See e. g. Ludwig v. Massachusetts, 427 U.S. 618, 96 S.Ct. 2781, 49 L.Ed.2d 732 (1976). Even if an accused is convicted and sentenced in the Municipal Court, an “appeal” to the Court of Common Pleas will vacate the judgment and result in the automatic grant of a new trial.
Under such circumstances, an attorney representing a criminal defendant at a Municipal Court suppression hearing may not pursue issues as fully and thoroughly as he or she would if the suppression hearing was held prior to a trial in the Court of Common Pleas. This fact is also recognized by the different rules concerning suppression hearings held in the Municipal Court and those in the Court of Common Pleas. The Municipal Court rules provide that a suppression hearing is to be held on the same day the trial is to begin and immediately prior thereto. This rule is consistent with the summary nature of the proceedings in Municipal Court, proceedings geared to the speedy disposition of minor criminal cases. On the other hand, the rules governing suppression hearings in the Court of Common Pleas provide that an ap*503plication to suppress must be filed at least ten days prior to the scheduled commencement of the trial. Moreover, applications to suppress may be presented orally in the Municipal Court while such motions to the Court of Common Pleas must be written. Thus, it can be seen from the rules of the two courts themselves that the same investigation and preparation is not contemplated in the Municipal Court that is contemplated in the Court of Common Pleas. What may have been adequate representation at a hearing before a Municipal Court therefore might not be effective assistance of counsel if the Municipal Court’s suppression hearing was binding upon a criminal defendant at trial in the Court of Common Pleas.
For these reasons, I believe that the “pre-trial” hearing on a motion to suppress evidence is an integral part of the overall judicial proceeding in which all issues affecting the accused’s guilt or innocence of the crime charged are to be resolved. See United States ex rel. Bennett v. Rundle, 419 F.2d 599 (3d Cir. 1969) (concurring opinion of Stahl, Circuit Judge). A defendant convicted of a crime in Municipal Court, who decides to proceed to a de novo trial in the Court of Common Pleas, as is his or her right under the Act of October 17, 1969, P.L. 259, § 18, as amended, Act of July 14, 1971, P.L. No. 45 (17 P.S. § 711.18), under the Pennsylvania Constitution Art. V, § 6, and under the Schedule to the Judiciary Article, § 16(r)(iii), is therefore entitled to re-litigate all issues, including those raised in “pre-trial” motions to suppress evidence.
ROBERTS, J., joins in this dissenting opinion.