Com. v. Satchell, M.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 22, 2019
Docket2706 EDA 2017
StatusUnpublished

This text of Com. v. Satchell, M. (Com. v. Satchell, M.) 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. Satchell, M., (Pa. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

J-S24033-19

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : MALCOLM M. SATCHELL : : Appellant : No. 2706 EDA 2017

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence June 7, 2017 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-51-CR-0004704-2014, CP-51-CR-0004705-2014

BEFORE: LAZARUS, J., McLAUGHLIN, J., and STEVENS*, P.J.E.

MEMORANDUM BY STEVENS, P.J.E.: FILED MAY 22, 2019

Appellant, Malcolm M. Satchell, appeals from the June 7, 2017,

judgment of sentence entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia

County at lower court docket numbers CP-51-CR-0004704-2014 (“0004704-

2014”) and CP-51-CR-0004705-2014 (“0004705-2014”). After a careful

review, we affirm the judgment of sentence at docket number 0004704-2014,

but we quash the appeal at docket number 0004705-2014.

The relevant facts and procedural history are as follows: On December

15, 2013, Appellant shot three people: Jovannie Cruz, Angel Colon, and

Malcolm McCauley inside a row house in Philadelphia. Mr. Cruz and Mr. Colon

survived the shooting; however, tragically, Mr. McCauley died from his

wounds.

____________________________________ * Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court. J-S24033-19

Thereafter, at docket number 0004704-2014, Appellant was charged

with attempted murder and aggravated assault as to Mr. Cruz.1 At docket

number 0004705-2014, Appellant was charged with third-degree murder as

to Mr. McCauley, as well as attempted murder and aggravated assault as to

Mr. Colon.2 Appellant was also charged with various firearms offenses at

docket number 0004705-2014.3

On March 29, 2017, represented by court-appointed counsel, Andres

Jalon, Esquire, Appellant proceeded to a jury trial for the charges at both lower

court docket numbers. The trial court has summarized the evidence and

testimony presented at trial as follows:

At trial, Jovannie Cruz testified that, on December 15, 2013, he and his friend, Angel Colon, were sleeping in the front bedroom. Mr. Cruz was awaken by the sound of a gunshot. He saw [Appellant], whom he had known since 2008, pointing a handgun at him. [Appellant] shot him twice, once in the mouth and once in the chest. Following the shooting, [Appellant] told Mr. Cruz to shut up and go to sleep. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 29- 33. At that point, Mr. Colon got up and stated that he had been shot in the head. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 33. Police took Mr.

____________________________________________

118 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 901 and 2702, respectively. Appellant was also charged with reckless endangerment as to Mr. Cruz; however, the charge was later nolle prossed.

2 18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 2502, 901, and 2702, respectively. Appellant was also charged with reckless endangerment generally, but the charge was later nolle prossed.

3The firearms offenses included firearms not to be carried without a license, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6106, and carrying firearms in public, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6108.

-2- J-S24033-19

Colon and Mr. Cruz to Temple Hospital. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 35. Earlier that day, [Mr. McCauley (“the deceased”)] had made pancakes for Mr. Cruz and Mr. Colon in exchange for marijuana. After the meal, the deceased smoked marijuana and Mr. Cruz smoked K-2; then Mr. Cruz and Mr. Colon went upstairs and fell asleep. N.T., March 20, 2017, p. 36, 37, 54. On the previous night (December 14 going into December 15), Mr. Cruz, Mr. Colon, and Mr. Colon’s sister, Anna Burgos, had stayed in the house. Ms. Burgos’ friend, Jennifer Alvarez, came to the house on December 15. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 38. Mr. Cruz testified that, as a result of the shots, he has nerve damage in his neck and chest. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 40. Police Officer Jeffrey Schmidt testified that on the afternoon of December 15, 2013, in response to a radio call, he and his partner proceeded to [a row house on] Jasper Street. At the doorway of the house, he observed two males and a female. The female informed him that both males had been shot in the head. He directed the males to a medic unit which was on the street. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 72, 74-75. Officer Schmidt and his partner searched the house. In the second floor front bedroom, they found the deceased, who appeared to be alive. The deceased was lying on the floor. Part of his body was in a closet and the rest of his body was outside the closet, leaning on an air conditioner. The deceased was bleeding from the right side of his neck. The medics came upstairs and pronounced him dead. N.T., March 29, 2017, p. 76. Angel Colon testified that, after eating pancakes, he, the deceased, and Mr. Cruz were smoking illicit drugs and watching videos. Mr. Cruz and Mr. Colon went upstairs where they fell asleep. Mr. Colon woke up and heard Mr. Cruz saying something about being shot. Mr. Colon felt something in his head. He and Mr. Cruz went downstairs. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 6-8. The nest [sic] thing he remembered was being in Temple Hospital. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 12. Mr. Colon testified that he was at Temple Hospital for about two weeks and then spent about two or three weeks at Moss Rehabilitation Hospital. Mr. Colon testified that he was shot in the head. In the course of his treatment to remove the bullet, part of his skull was removed and replaced with plastic. He can no longer

-3- J-S24033-19

see with his left eye. After the shooting, he experienced seizures, which had stopped by the time of trial. He has some problems with memory. His motor skills are not affected. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 13-15. Mr. Colon described [Appellant] as a friend whom he had known for five years. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 15. Mr. Colon sold heroin for [Appellant]. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 16. This arrangement had been going on for a little less than a month. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 17. About a week before the shooting, [Appellant] and Mr. Colon had a dispute about the payments. However, on the day of the shooting, there had been no dispute between [Appellant] and anyone in the house. He said that Mr. Cruz also sold drugs for [Appellant]. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 18. Anna Burgos, the sister of Angel Colon, testified that at about 1 or 2 p.m., she, the deceased, [Appellant], Jennifer Alvarez, and Angel Colon were “chilling and having a nice day.” The deceased made pancakes. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 53. They ate breakfast, during which she observed a gun on [Appellant’s] lap. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 63-64. Thereafter, Mr. Burgos went upstairs to her room to watch television. Mr. Colon and Mr. Cruz went upstairs to take a nap. She did not know where [Appellant] had gone. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 55-56. About half an hour later she called for the deceased. There was no response. She went downstairs to check on the deceased. She asked Ms. Alvarez if she knew where he was. She did not know. Ms. Burgos went back upstairs and heard someone walking back and forth in the hallway. She returned to her room, then walked downstairs to check on Ms. Alvarez, who was sleeping. When she returned upstairs, Ms. Burgos saw [Appellant] walk into the front bedroom. N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 58. About five minutes later, Ms. Burgos heard shots. Ms. Burgos ran downstairs and woke up Ms. Alvarez. Ms. Burgos went back upstairs and saw [Appellant] come out of the bedroom. Ms. Burgos asked, “Why did you do that?” [Appellant] looked at her but did not reply. Ms. Burgos went downstairs and sat with Ms. Alvarez on the sofa. [Appellant] walked up to her, shook her hand, and said “Checkmate.” N.T., March 31, 2017, p. 59. Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Albert Chu testified that the deceased died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.

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