Commonwealth Ex Rel. Quackenbush v. Fairchild

435 A.2d 1266, 291 Pa. Super. 358, 1981 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3530
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedOctober 16, 1981
Docket415
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 435 A.2d 1266 (Commonwealth Ex Rel. Quackenbush v. Fairchild) 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
Commonwealth Ex Rel. Quackenbush v. Fairchild, 435 A.2d 1266, 291 Pa. Super. 358, 1981 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3530 (Pa. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinions

CAVANAUGH, Judge:

This is an appeal from an order denying a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in an extradition proceeding and ordering that appellant be delivered to the appropriate officials of New York State. We affirm.

On November 5, 1979, appellant was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police and charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and terroristic threats; thereafter, in lieu of bail, appellant was committed to Bradford County Jail.

Subsequently, a detainer was lodged against appellant by authorities from Chemung County, New York.

On December 19, 1979, the charges pending against appellant in Pennsylvania were dropped. Appellant was not immediately released, thus defense counsel filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on December 20, 1979. However, before a hearing on the petition could take place, appellant was arraigned before a district magistrate on a fugitive warrant based on the detainer filed previously by New York officials.

On December 21, 1979, after a hearing on the habeas corpus petition, appellant was recommitted to Bradford County Jail to await extradition. However, no term of commitment was specified by the issuing authority.

On February 7, 1980, appellant filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus demanding release, since 30 days had passed and no arrest had been effected by a Governor’s warrant pursuant to extradition proceedings.

On February 8, 1980, a Pennsylvania Governor’s warrant and extradition papers from New York state were served on appellant.

On February 13, 1980, a hearing was held on the habeas corpus petition and on extradition. The court denied the [360]*360habeas corpus petition and ordered that appellant be extradited. This appeal followed.

Under the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act an accused may be committed to jail for up to thirty days to allow his arrest on a Governor’s warrant pursuant to a request by the demanding state. 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9136. If the accused is not arrested under the Governor’s warrant within the initial thirty day period, he may be recommitted for a further period not to exceed sixty days, i. e. his commitment may be extended. 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9138. Although the statute, 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9138, does not expressly require a hearing before an accused may be recommitted for another period of up to sixty days, our case law has imposed such a requirement. See Commonwealth ex. rel. Colbert v. Aytch, 246 Pa.Super. 278, 369 A.2d 1321 (1976) affd. 478 Pa. 314, 386 A.2d 950 (1978); Commonwealth v. Murphy, 236 Pa.Super. 37, 344 A.2d 662, 664 (1975), allocatur denied.

In the instant case appellant was committed to jail to allow his arrest on the Governor’s warrant. However, after the initial thirty day period of his commitment, contrary to 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9138 there was no extension of his commitment for a further period. Thus appellant argues that he is entitled to be discharged.1 We disagree based on our decision in Commonwealth v. Brown, 281 Pa.Super. 31, 421 A.2d 1131 (1980).

In Commonwealth v. Brown, supra, the appellant asserted that the lower court erred by denying his petition for a writ of habeas corpus. He argued that habeas corpus should have been granted since he was held as a fugitive for more than thirty days and the Commonwealth had not sought an extension of time under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9138, and had not arrested him under a Governor’s warrant. On December 15 Brown was arrested and was brought before a district magistrate; a criminal complaint was filed and he was released on bail. On December 22 a hearing was held and as a result he was “bound to court.” On January 8 the court [361]*361entered an order indicating that a preliminary hearing on extradition had been held, and that Brown had been advised of his right to file a habeas corpus petition.

On February 2 Brown filed a petition for habeas corpus. He alleged that the writ should be granted since he was held as a fugitive for more than thirty days and the Commonwealth had not obtained an extension of time to hold him and had not served the Governor’s warrant.

On February 12 a hearing was held at which the Commonwealth’s witness identified Brown as the person wanted by West Virginia and at which the Commonwealth introduced the requisition papers and Governor’s warrant as exhibits. The lower court denied the petition for habeas corpus.

On appeal this court affirmed through an opinion written by Mr. Justice Roberts who was sitting by designation on the Superior Court. In reaching the result Justice Roberts distinguished Brown from Commonwealth ex rel. Knowles v. Lester, 456 Pa. 423, 321 A.2d 637 (1974), an opinion which he also had written. He distinguished Knowles on two grounds. He stated “[ujnlike in Knowles, this record is clear that appellant was afforded hearings on the charges against him. Most significantly, at the hearing on appellant’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus, held less than two months after appellant’s arrest, the Commonwealth introduced both requisition papers and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Warrant.” Commonwealth v. Brown supra, 281 Pa.Super. at 36, 421 A.2d at 1134.

The Brown court recognized that in Commonwealth ex rel. Holcombe v. Strode, 266 Pa.Super. 39, 44, 402 A.2d 1067, 1069 (1979), the Superior Court adopted the rule which Judge Spaeth stated in his concurring opinion in Commonwealth v. ex rel. Myers v. Case, 250 Pa.Super. 242, 378 A.2d 917 (1977), that “[a]bsent a violation of the Rule of Commonwealth ex rel. Knowles v. Lester, 456 Pa. 423, 321 A.2d 637 (1974), habeas corpus relief is warranted only when sought after the expiration of the prescribed period (whether thirty or if extended, [pursuant to 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9138] ninety days) and before a governor’s warrant is executed.” Id. 250 [362]*362Pa.Super. at 249, 378 A.2d at 920 (emphasis original, citations omitted.). The Brown court, however, extended this rule to deny relief in a situation in which habeas corpus was sought before the Governor’s warrant was executed, but at the habeas corpus hearing, the Commonwealth produced requisition papers and a Governor’s warrant. Brown, supra, 281 Pa.Super. at 36, 421 A.2d at 1134.

In the instant case like Brown appellant was afforded hearings on the charges against him. On December 20, he had a preliminary arraignment and on December 21 there was a hearing on his first habeas corpus petition.

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Commonwealth Ex Rel. Quackenbush v. Fairchild
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Bluebook (online)
435 A.2d 1266, 291 Pa. Super. 358, 1981 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3530, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-ex-rel-quackenbush-v-fairchild-pasuperct-1981.