Com. v. Kulp, J.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedApril 21, 2015
Docket2707 EDA 2014
StatusUnpublished

This text of Com. v. Kulp, J. (Com. v. Kulp, J.) 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. Kulp, J., (Pa. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

J-S21036-15

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA Appellee

v.

JOSEPH KULP, III,

Appellant No. 2707 EDA 2014

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence July 28, 2014 in the Court of Common Pleas of Carbon County Criminal Division at No.: CP-13-CR-0000750-2012; CP-13-CR-0000754-2012

BEFORE: BOWES, J., JENKINS, J., and PLATT, J.*

MEMORANDUM BY PLATT, J.: FILED APRIL 21, 2015

Appellant, Joseph Kulp, III, appeals from the judgment of sentence

imposed following a jury conviction of two counts each of indecent assault

without consent and indecent assault of a person less than sixteen years of

age, defendant at least four years older.1 Specifically, he challenges his

classification as a sexually violent predator (SVP). We affirm on the basis of

the trial court opinion.

The charges in this matter arose from two separate incidents over one

year with one minor victim. In its October 27, 2014 opinion, the trial court

fully and correctly sets forth the relevant facts and procedural history of this ____________________________________________

* Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court. 1 18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3126(a)(1) and (8), respectively. J-S21036-15

case. (See Trial Court Opinion, 10/27/14, at 1-6). Therefore, we have no

need to restate them here.

Appellant raises the following issues for our review:

[1]. Whether the [t]rial [c]ourt erred by considering the [s]exual [o]ffender[] report provided by Mary E. Muscari as this report was provided well beyond the time limits afforded under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9799.24?

[2]. Whether the [t]rial [c]ourt erred in determining the Commonwealth’s evidence was sufficient to classify [Appellant] as a sexually violent predator?

[3]. Whether the statutory language of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9799.10 et. seq, as it applies to [Appellant] is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad?

(Appellant’s Brief, at 4).

Appellant first challenges Dr. Muscari’s assessment as untimely under

section 9799.24. Therefore, he raises a question of statutory construction.

It is well-settled that “[b]ecause statutory interpretation is a question of law,

our standard of review is de novo, and our scope of review is plenary.”

Commonwealth v. Stotelmyer, 2015 WL 668038, at *3 (Pa. Feb. 17,

2015).

Appellant’s second claim raises “[q]uestions of evidentiary sufficiency[,

which] present questions of law; thus, our standard of review is de novo and

our scope of review is plenary. In conducting sufficiency review, we must

consider the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth,

-2- J-S21036-15

which prevailed upon the issue at trial.” Commonwealth v. Meals, 912

A.2d 213, 218 (Pa. 2006) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted).

In Appellant’s third issue, he challenges the constitutionality of a

statute. Therefore, “[a]s the constitutionality of a statute is a pure question

of law, our standard of review is de novo and our scope of review is

plenary.” Commonwealth v. Omar, 981 A.2d 179, 185 (Pa. 2009)

(citation omitted).

After a thorough review of the record, the briefs of the parties, the

applicable law, and the well-reasoned opinion of the trial court, we conclude

that there is no merit to Appellant’s first two issues and his third issue is

waived. The trial court properly disposes of all of the questions presented.

(See Trial Ct. Op., at 7-16) (finding: (1) consideration of late sexual

offender report was proper where Appellant had the SOAB report over ten

months before hearing and therefore was not prejudiced; (2)

Commonwealth presented clear and convincing evidence sufficient to classify

Appellant as SVP; and (3) Appellant’s third issue too vague for meaningful

review). We note that contrary to the trial court’s conclusion that

Appellant’s third issue is meritless, a vague claim or argument that impedes

review is waived. See Commonwealth v. Hansley, 24 A.3d 410, 4151

(Pa. Super. 2011), appeal denied, 32 A.3d 1275 (Pa. 2011). Accordingly,

we affirm on the basis of the trial court’s opinion (except for the conclusion

that Appellant’s third issue is meritless).

Judgment of sentence affirmed.

-3- J-S21036-15

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary

Date: 4/21/2015

-4- Circulated 03/25/2015 09:46 AM

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA CRIMINAL DIVISION

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA .. -:, vs. No 750 CR 2012 . -.:::, .: ·-. ·- 754 CR 2012 -· JOSEPH J. KULP III, ~::~· =~"':;·~'~·. i~: :! ' t~:.. <::') c·:· ·-·-·, r··:1 .-·,) . ( ---.! Defendant .-·· , u - .. -- ' -· .. -z-:

Michael S. Greek, Esquire N Assistant District Attorney Counsel for the Commonwea.ilth Paul John Levy, Esquire Counsel for the Defendant

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Serfass, J. - October 27, 2014

Defendant, Joseph J. Kulp, III (hereinafter "Defendant"),

has taken this appeal from the Order of Court entered on July

28, 2014, classifying Defendant as a sexually violent predator.

We file the following Memorandum Opinion pursuant to

Pe nns y Lv an i a Rule of Appellate Procedure 1925 (a) and recommend

that the aforesaid Order of Court be affirmed for the reasons

set forth hereinafter.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On March 7, 2013, a jury of his peers found Defendant

guilty of two (2) counts of indecent assault without consent1 and

two (2) counts of indecent assault of a person less than sixteen

1 18 Pa. C. S . A. § 312 6 (a) ( 1) . [FS-50-14] 1 Circulated 03/25/2015 09:46 AM

years of age, defendant at least four years older.2 This Court

issued an Order on May 30, 2013, directing Defendant to be

assessed by the Sexual Offender Assessment Board (hereinafter

"SOAB"). Defendant was assessed by the SOAB on August 24, 2013,

and the subsequent report was issued on August 28, 2013. On

August 30, 2013, counsel for the Commonwealth filed a "Praecipe

to Schedule Hearing" to determine whether Defendant should be

classified as a sexually violent predator. On September 4, 2013,

this Court issued an order scheduling that hearing for October

8, 2013. Between the dates of October 7, -2013 and April 29,

2014, Defendant filed seven (7) separate motions for

continuance, all of which were unopposed by the Commonwealth and

granted by this Court. Six (6) of those continuance motions were

filed because Defendant sought to have his own sexual offender

assessment prepared for submission at the classification

hearing. Ultimately, Defendant elected not to submit a separate

assessment and the hearing to determine whether he should be

classified as a sexually violent predator was held on July 7,

2014. Following the hearing, Defendant's counsel was granted

additional time within which to submit a brief concerning the

classification of the defendant as a sexually violent predator.

Defendant's counsel submitted his brief on July 24, 2014. Upon

consideration of the hearing testimony, SOAB report and

18 Pa. C.S.A. § 3126(a) (8). [FS-50-14] 2 Circulated 03/25/2015 09:46 AM

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