Commonwealth v. Beaver

463 A.2d 1097, 317 Pa. Super. 88, 1983 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3513
CourtSupreme Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJuly 15, 1983
Docket188
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 463 A.2d 1097 (Commonwealth v. Beaver) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme 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 v. Beaver, 463 A.2d 1097, 317 Pa. Super. 88, 1983 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3513 (Pa. 1983).

Opinions

[91]*91POPOVICH, Judge:

This is an interlocutory appeal by the appellant, Kenneth Beaver, from the lower court’s Order denying his “Motion to Dismiss Information on Double Jeopardy Grounds.”1 (Motion) We affirm.

An examination of the facts reveals the following: Át a bench trial before the Hon. Victor J. DiNubile, Jr., the Commonwealth presented its case against the appellant on charges of Theft (18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3921) and Receiving Stolen Property (18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3925).

The first witness, Louise Patricia Long, testified that she resided at 8645 Rugby Street in Philadelphia with her husband and two children, Michelle and Scott. At approximately 6:30 p.m. on the 2nd of March, 1981, Mrs. Long left home, with Michelle and Scott remaining behind, to go to Bible school, but she did not take her purse containing $148.00. At about 9:30 p.m. she returned to discover that the money in her purse was gone. The children informed her that they were ignorant of its whereabouts or who might have taken it. Upon further inquiry, Michelle did admit appellant had been on the premises. This was confirmed by Scott, who told his mother appellant was alone in the house during the time he went to a neighbor’s house to inform Michelle that appellant had arrived to see her. Michelle agreed with Scott, according to Mrs. Long, that “when Scott went to get her he [appellant] could have taken the money. He was left in the house alone.” (RR. 14)

' As for the missing “food processor” and her husband’s two rifles, shotgun and pistol, Mrs. Long could shed no light on the circumstances attendant to their theft, except to mention that she discovered the former missing on March 5th and the latter gone on March 7th.

[92]*92The next witness to testify for the Commonwealth was Mr. Long. He recounted how, after returning home from Oklahoma on the 7th of March, he had intentions of cleaning his P-38 pistol. When he went to the bedroom closet to retrieve it, he discovered it was gone, along with his other weapons. Mr. Long also stated he gave no one permission to remove the weapons from his home.

Following a series of questions as to when Mr. Long reported the theft to the police, an exchange occurred involving the witness, the trial judge and counsel for both sides that precipitated the mistrial motion; to-wit:

BY MR. INGRAM [Assistant District Attorney]:
Q. Did you talk to the defendant today about any of your firearms, sir?
[George L. Long:]
A. Yes.
Q. Where was that?
A. In the Courtroom, about 10 o’clock.
MR. BANK [Appellant’s counsel]: Objection, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Overruled.
BY MR. INGRAM:
Q. What did he say?
THE COURT: Was the DA or any police officers around when you spoke to him?
MR. BANK: I would like an offer of proof.
BY MR. INGRAM:
Q. During this recess, was there a conversation with the defendant in the presence of defense counsel, and Mr. Moore who is here to present [sic] you Mr. Long?
A. There was conversation as to the possession of the weapons and who might have had them.
MR. BANK: I was there and my client did not make any statements, and I would like an offer of proof.
THE COURT: May I ask you this? Did you have any conversation with the defendant after you discovered the guns missing except for the conversation today—
[93]*93BY MR. INGRAM:
Q. What was the conversation with the defendant today, sir? Will you tell the Court.
MR. BANK: Objection.
THE COURT: Overruled. You have an exception.
THE WITNESS: I told my lawyer —
MR. BANK: Objection, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Overruled.
THE WITNESS: I told him if the weapons were returned, maybe we could make an arrangement. I am willing to do this.
MR. BANK: Your Honor, I move for a mistrial. This line of questioning is designed to prejudice you.
THE COURT: If there is a statement as to the fact that he stole the guns, this is one thing and is admissible. However, if the statement merely deals with the probability of [sic] possibility that the defendant will make an adjustment or settlement to the prosecutor, then this type of statement would be inadmissible and prejudicial.
MR. BANK: Yes, and I would move for a mistrial.
THE COURT: I don’t have the slightest idea of what was said to Mr. Long, and what he said to the defendant.
MR. BANK: The defendant is claiming he is innocent and I move for a mistrial.
MR. INGRAM: This is not correct.
BY MR. INGRAM:
Q. Did you have a conversation regarding the possession of your firearms?
A. Yes.
Q. Did the defendant tell you—
MR. BANK: Objection
THE COURT: Overruled.
BY MR. INGRAM:
Q. Did he tell you where the weapons were?
A. He said him and my daughter sold them.
[94]*94MR. BANK: He is committing perjury, Your Honor. I am a witness here. I will take the stand. He never said that to this man.
THE COURT: Are you saying the defendant told you that he and your daughter sold the guns and got money for them?
THE WITNESS: He said he and my daughter sold the guns to a guy named Pinkey.
THE COURT: Mr. Bank, you will have to call in new counsel.
MR. BANK: He is sitting right here, but he was not sequestered.
THE COURT: You will have to call in new counsel if you are going to take the stand.
MR. BANK: Your Honor, this is highly prejudicial. I’m a witness and we wish to have private counsel.
MR. BANK: I again move for a mistrial. I have plenty of grounds for a mistrial. This is up to you.
THE COURT: This could not be tried in a half an hour or an hour. Mr. Bank wants his opportunity to testify.

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Commonwealth v. Beaver
463 A.2d 1097 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1983)

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Bluebook (online)
463 A.2d 1097, 317 Pa. Super. 88, 1983 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3513, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-beaver-pa-1983.