Com. v. Holloway, S.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 23, 2015
Docket820 MDA 2014
StatusUnpublished

This text of Com. v. Holloway, S. (Com. v. Holloway, S.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Com. v. Holloway, S., (Pa. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

J. A34008/14

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION – SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA v. : : SHANE SHAQUILL HOLLOWAY, : No. 820 MDA 2014 : Appellant :

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence, April 9, 2014, in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County Criminal Division at No. CP-22-CR-0002479-2013

BEFORE: FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E., SHOGAN AND STABILE, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.: FILED MARCH 23, 2015

The instant prosecution stemmed from the fatal shooting of Courtney

Jackson. Following a jury trial, appellant was convicted of second degree

murder, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2502(b), robbery, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701(a)(1)(i),

firearms not to be carried without a license, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6106(a)(1), and

tampering with physical evidence, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 4910(1).1 Herein,

appellant appeals from the judgment of sentence entered on April 9, 2014.

We affirm.

Illiana Luciano (“Luciano”) was dating Jackson (“the victim”). On

March 4, 2013, the two spent time together until approximately 5:00 p.m.

(Notes of testimony, 3/24/14 at 69-71.) At this time, Luciano drove the

1 Counts of conspiracy and furnishing false reports to authorities were withdrawn by the Commonwealth. J. A34008/14

victim around the corner to the Turkey Hill store where he was to meet with

an acquaintance known as “Layton.” (Id. at 72.) Luciano did not

communicate with the victim again until approximately 6:30 p.m. when the

store clerk at the B & W Corner Store notified her that the victim had

purchased something in the store but never came to retrieve it. (Id. at 77.)

Wayne Cameron (“Cameron”) testified to his observations of the

events on March 4, 2013. At 8:00 p.m., Cameron was outside of his home

near the B & W Corner Store when he discovered a young man, later

identified as the victim, lying face down in the alleyway. (Id. at 91.)

Cameron approached and found the victim covered in blood and saw foam

coming from his mouth. He found that the victim did not have a pulse.

Cameron explained that the victim’s body was outstretched as if he was

running with both hands extended from his body. (Id. at 91, 95.) The

victim was holding a cell phone in one of his hands that was ringing

repeatedly, and a picture of a woman continued to appear on the screen as

the phone rang. (Id. at 96-97.)

The police investigated and recovered fired shell casings from a

.40 caliber and a .25 caliber gun. Dr. Wayne Ross performed an autopsy

and also examined the crime scene photos. (Notes of testimony, 3/25/14

Vol. I at 57-58.) The victim had been shot several times in the chest, his

arm, and his back. (Id. at 61.) When the clothing was removed from his

body, Ross observed eight gunshot wounds -- four were to the left arm,

-2- J. A34008/14

three to the left side of his chest, and one to his back. (Id. at 71.) Three of

the gunshot wounds were fatal with two being made by the .25 caliber

bullet. Based on gunpowder residue, Dr. Ross testified that he was shot at a

distance of greater than four feet away from the .40 caliber gun and two to

three feet away from the .25 caliber gun. (Id. at 69-70.) Dr. Ross

determined that the body had to have been face down prior to being face up

at the crime scene due to the foliage and soil on his body. (Id. at 60.) A

.40 caliber bullet was recovered at the scene from beneath the victim’s T-

shirt.

Layton Potter, a friend of the victim’s, testified to the events of

March 4, 2013. (Notes of testimony, 3/25/14 Vol. II at 4.) Potter explained

that the victim used to sell marijuana and cocaine to him. (Id. at 5-6.) On

March 4, 2013, Potter had placed a call between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to

the victim that he wanted to buy drugs. (Id. at 6-7.) The plan was for

Potter to pick up the victim at the Turkey Hill Store and drive him to 19 th and

North Street where the victim gave cocaine to Potter. (Id. at 8.) Potter

then drove home to smoke the drugs at his house. Later that evening,

Potter wanted to buy more cocaine and called the victim again at 7:00 p.m.

The men agreed to meet at North Street across from the B & W Corner

Store. The exchange took place in Potter’s car. (Id.)

The men then went into the store, and Potter saw appellant with

Tyya Barnes across the street. Potter observed appellant and Barnes

-3- J. A34008/14

“huddling,” which is street terminology for leaning in towards each other and

conversing quietly; he also observed them making hand gestures. (Id. at

10, 15-18.) The victim indicated that he was going to conduct a drug

transaction with appellant and Barnes. (Id. at 19.) The victim then took

Potter home, and that was the last time Potter saw him alive.

Detective Jeffrey Schriver responded to the scene following an

emergency call reporting what had happened in the alley. Upon arrival, he

noticed Jackson’s cell phone ringing and copied the incoming phone numbers

that appeared on the screen. (Notes of testimony, 3/25-26/14 Vol. III at

48.) The last call that was received and answered by Jackson was from a

number which belonged to Barnes.

On March 6, 2013, Detective Schriver conducted a voluntary interview

with appellant at the Harrisburg police station. (Id. at 50-53.) During the

interview, appellant stated that on March 4, 2013, he was not at the location

where the victim was shot and killed. Appellant stated that he learned about

the victim’s death via Facebook.

On March 8, 2013, Detective Joseph A. Zimmerman conducted a

second interview with appellant and recorded his statements. (Id. at 110.)

Appellant was brought to the police department for a non-custodial

interrogation; at this point, appellant was considered a person of interest but

not a suspect. (Id. at 112-113.) Detective Zimmerman met appellant in

the interview room with Detective Schriver and stated that the interview sas

-4- J. A34008/14

going to be non-custodial and that appellant was free to leave anytime. In

an abundance of caution, Detective Zimmerman also gave appellant his

Miranda2 rights orally and in writing, which he signed. (Id. at 114.)

During this recorded statement, appellant admitted that Barnes made

a phone call to the victim to arrange a meeting at 7:00 p.m. at 19 th and

North Street. (Id. at 131.) The men met the victim and then proceeded to

Barnes’ car, which was parked in a dark alleyway several blocks away, so

the victim could use his scale. (Id. at 132.) Appellant averred that while

the victim was trying to weigh the drugs in the backseat, Barnes opened fire

using two different caliber firearms which were in the car. (Id.) Appellant

noted that one of the guns sounded louder than the other. Appellant

explained that he heard more shots fired from the softer-sounding gun. (Id.

at 139.) Appellant alleged that he ducked down and did not see what part of

the victim’s body had been shot. (Id. at 140.) When asked what happened

to the shell casings in the car, appellant said that he picked them up and

explained “we flushed them down the toilet” at appellant’s house. (Id. at

132-133.) Appellant averred that Barnes was in possession of his two guns

and the victim’s gun.

Appellant initially stated that he pulled the victim out of the car and

laid him on the ground. (Id.) Appellant stated he was unsure as to whether

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Com. v. Holloway, S., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/com-v-holloway-s-pasuperct-2015.