Commonwealth v. Becker

172 A.3d 35
Superior Court of Pennsylvania·Decided October 10, 2017·No. No. 2729 EDA 2016·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

OPINION BY

LAZARUS, J.:

Britnee Rose Becker appeals from the order, entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, defying her petition for immediate parole. After careful review, we affirm.

On April .15, 2016,, Becker pled guilty to theft, as a misdemeanor of the first degree,1 for stealing a television. The trial court sentenced Becker- on the same.day to two years’ probation. Becker met with her probation officer on April 20, 2016 and April 22, 2016, who instructed her to report on April 25, 2016 for a urine test. Becker did not report and- absconded from supervision. As of April 22, 2016, Becker did not reside at a stable residence and was not in drug treatment. On May 5, 2016, police apprehended and incarcerated Becker for alleged violations of her probation. Following her apprehension, Becker admitted to using five bags of heroin daily, intravenously, and police found empty bags and needles in her possession. At this time, Becker was aware she was five months pregnant.

On May 18, 2016, Becker appeared before the trial court for a Gagnon II2 hearing, and the Lehigh County Adult Probation & Parole Department (“AP & P”) recommended that the trial couit resen-tence Becker to 4-23 months' imprisonment in the Lehigh County Jail with immediate parole upon going into labor. The trial court deferred sentencing until Becker received a drug and alcohol evaluation to determine whether she would qualify for inpatient treatment. The Gagnon II hearing was continued to June 8, 2016. The evaluation recommended Becker be admitted for short-term inpatient treatment, however, no beds were available. Concerned that she. would leave inpatient treatment and continue to use. heroin, the trial court revoked Becker’s probation and resentenced her to 4-23 months’ imprisonment, with immediate parole upon going into labor.

On August 3, 2016, having met her minimum, but'not yet having gone into labor, Becker filed a petition for immediate parole, and a hearing was held on August 22, 2016. Becker’s’due date was September 8, 2016. While incarcerated, Becker had no misconducts and participated in ’treatment and counseling. Testimony also revealed that Becker had a stable address and family support. AP & P opposed Becker’s parole because of the risk that she may use heroin- while pregnant. The trial court shared similar concerns, among others, and denied Becker’s petition for parole. On August 24, 2016, Becker filed a timely notice of appeal. Both Becker and the trial court have complied with Pa.R.A.P. 1925.

Becker raises the following issues for our review:

1. Whether the lower court violated [Becker’s] federal and state constitutional rights to due process, equal protection, and freedom from cruel and unusual punishment by refusing parole at her minimum sentence, although eligible, solely because she was pregnant and by ordering her to remain incarcerated until she went into labor for the safety of the [unborn child]?
2. Whether the lower court abused its discretion by refusing to parole defendant at her minimum sentence, although ■eligible, solely because she was pregnant and despite that she incurred no misconducts while incarcerated, was accepted into an inpatient rehabilitation facility she could have transferred to directly from jail, participated in jail'programs to address her addiction, and had an appropriate address in the community upon release?

Brief of Appellant, at 5.

Becker first claims that the denial of her parole was manifestly unreasonable, as she had incurred no misconducts during her incarceration, attended treatment and counseling, and had a stable address and family support, Becker’s claim is without avail.

“Parole is, nothing more than a possibility, and, when granted, it is nothing more than a favor granted upon a prisoner by the state as a matter of grace and mercy shown by the Commonwealth to -a convict who has. demonstrated a probability of his ability to function as a law-abiding citizen insociety.” Weaver v. Pennsylvania Bd. of Prob. & Parole, 688 A.2d 766, 770 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1997). When the court sentences an offender to a maximum term of imprisonment of less than two' years, the common pleas court retains authority to grant and revoke parole. 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 9776.3 Commonwealth v. Finley, 135 A.3d 196, 199 (Pa. Super. 2016). When the defendant is eligible for parole, the trial court’s decision to grant parole is a discretionary act, and it is subject to appellate review under an abuse of discretion standard. Finley, 135 A.3d at 199 (citing Commonwealth v. Romolini, 384 Pa.Super. 117, 557 A.2d 1073, 1077 (1989)). “An abuse of discretion is not merely an error of judgment, but if in reaching a conclusion the law is overridden or misapplied or the judgment was manifestly unreasonable, or the result of partiality, prejudice, bias, or ill will, as shown by the evidence or the record, discretion is abused.” Commonwealth v. Allburn, 721 A.2d 363, 366 (Pa. Super. 1998) (citation omitted).

Here, the record does not support Becker’s assertion that the denial of her parole was manifestly unreasonable. First, we note, Becker’s gender and concomitant pregnancy are incidental to her well-chronicled heroin addiction. As such, the basis of the Bécker’s parole denial, as stated by the trial court, was the substantial risk that she would use heroin, not her unique status. In coming to its decision, the trial court expressed concern for the health of Becker’s unborn child. However, the trial court did not discuss prisoner access to women’s healthcare, prenatal care, child welfare resources or other associated services that might indicate its decision was motivated entirely by Becker’s status. Rather, it focused on Becker’s prior use of heroin and the dangers it posed to her and others. Specifically, the trial court reiterated its concern with “[Becker] using drugs and ... harming herself’ and the potential for relapse. N.T. Parole Hearing, 8/22/16, at 7,15-17, 69 (“[S]he has a bad history [of heroin abuse][,] and history dictates when she gets out [of prison], she uses”).

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Commonwealth v. Becker, 172 A.3d 35 (Pa. Ct. App. 2017).

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