Commonwealth v. Ford

165 A.2d 113, 193 Pa. Super. 588, 1960 Pa. Super. LEXIS 706
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedNovember 16, 1960
DocketAppeal, No. 217
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 165 A.2d 113 (Commonwealth v. Ford) 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 v. Ford, 165 A.2d 113, 193 Pa. Super. 588, 1960 Pa. Super. LEXIS 706 (Pa. Ct. App. 1960).

Opinion

Opinion by

Woodside, J.,

Clarence Ford took this appeal from a sentence for rape imposed after a jury had found him guilty, and the court beloAV had dismissed his motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment. Three other defendants (Terry, Carter and Morris) were tried and con[591]*591victed at the same time, but only Ford appealed. Tbe appellant is pressing only bis motion for a new trial.

The evidence shows that Diane, a twenty year old college junior, left ber home in West Philadelphia at 9:80 o’clock New Year’s Eve intending to join a girl friend in Germantown. At tbe intersection of Vine and Edgewood Streets, she was grabbed from behind by a man who placed bis band over ber mouth and forced ber into the front seat of an automobile driven ■by a man later .identified as Terry. A man, later identified as Ford, sat on tbe other side of ber. Two men, later identified as Morris and Carter, were in tbe back seat. Tbe car was driven to a lonely dirt road in tbe vicinity of tbe Philadelphia Airport. There tbe car was parked, and tbe girl’s arms and leg were held in turns by two of tbe defendants while each of tbe four bad intercourse with ber against ber will. She screamed and blew tbe car’s born several times on tbe way to tbe scene and while there, until she became fearful of tbe defendants’ threats of violence. While returning to West Philadelphia, Ford urged ber not to tell any person as it would only make ber friends “look down” on ber. Prior to being taken into tbe car she did not know any of tbe defendants.

Upon being released by tbe defendants, she went immediately to ber friend’s home in Germantown, and told what had happened. She was taken to tbe hospital, and her parents and tbe police were called. An examination made at tbe Philadelphia General Hospital showed sperm cells present in ber person. A few days later Terry and Ford were taken into custody and positively identified by Diane at a police lineup of five men. Later tbe other two were arrested and identified.

At tbe trial Diane identified tbe defendants as ber assailants. Terry testified that Ford, Carter, Morris [592]*592and lie picked up Diane and had intercourse with her, but eonténded that it was consensual. Carter, Ford’s cousin, testified that he was too drunk and sick that night to know what happened. Morris testified that he, Carter, Terry and another man had intercourse with the girl, but' said she agreed to it. He testified that he did not know the fourth person who accompanied them, but that it was not Ford.1 The appellant did not testify, but attempted to establish an alibi by witnesses whom the jury evidently did not believe.

The appellant and the other three defendants were indicted for rape on another girl later the same night. At the request of the defendants, the trials on the two indictments were separated.

The appellant advances seven reasons why he should be granted a new trial. None has merit.

First, he objects to the presence at his trial of the other girl whom the defendants allegedly raped the same night that they raped Diane. He says references were made to the other charge against the defendants. All such. “references” were insignificant, as for example, the following question by the district attorney of which appellant complains: “Limiting yourself to the occurrence which we have before us here—that is the affair involving Diane . . .” The other girl, for whose rape the four' defendants were indicted, was [593]*593called as a witness and asked only whether she saw the appellant the night of the alleged rape of Diane and whether he called himself “Johnnie”. (Diane had said Ford called himself “Johnnie”, and his witnesses had testified that they never knew him to nse that name.) The appellant thinks it was error to permit the other alleged victim to testify. He was fortunate that the Commonwealth limited its interrogation of her to this. See Commonwealth v. Ransom, 169 Pa. Superior Ct. 306, 82 A. 2d 547 (1951); Commonwealth v. Williams, 307 Pa. 134, 148, 160 A. 602 (1932); Commonwealth v. Brooks, 355 Pa. 551, 50 A. 2d 325 (1947).

The appellant’s second and third points involve his failure to deny his guilt when accused at the police station by Diane of being one of those who raped her, and when read Terry’s statement which said that the appellant had intercourse with Diane that night.

In Commonwealth v. Vallone, 347 Pa. 419, 32 A. 2d 889 (1943) the court said on p. 421: “The rule of evidence is well established that, when a statement made in the presence and hearing of a person is incriminating in character and naturally calls for a denial but is not challenged or contradicted by the accused although he has opportunity and liberty to speak, the statement and the fact of his failure to deny it are admissible in evidence as an implied admission of the truth of the charges thus made.” This has been recognized as the law in the recent cases of Commonwealth ex rel. Stevens v. Myers, 398 Pa. 23, 25, 156 A. 2d 527 (1959); Commonwealth v. Bolish, 381 Pa. 500, 523, 113 A. 2d 464 (1955); Commonwealth v. Markwich, 178 Pa. Superior Ct. 169, 173, 113 A. 2d 323 (1955).

If the accused person claims his privilege against self-incrimination when he is faced with incriminating statements, his failure to deny such statements cannot be taken as an implied admission of their truth. . Wheth[594]*594er the failure to deny the incriminating statements was the result of a claim against self-incrimination can 'become a question of fact for the jury. Commonwealth v. Towber, 190 Pa. Superior Ct. 93, 96, 97, 152 A. 2d 917 (1959).

The appellant contends that the Yallone rule was applied to his failure to deny his guilt at the police station after he had claimed Ms constitutional privilege against self-incrimination. It appears that Ford was advised of Ms constitutional rights by a police officer and by Ms boxing manager who was secretary to a lawyer, and later by Ms counsel. The Commonwealth argues that he made no claim against self-incrimination until after the identification and the reading of Terry’s statement to him. For reasons hereafter stated, we do not consider it necessary to determine the time when the claim against self-incrimination was made.

The record shows that Diane identified the appellant and Terry at the police station. A police officer testified that when she did so, “The defendant Ford made no statement,” but “The defendant Terry I believe at that time denied it but then he later admitted being part of this particular occurrence—'being there on the scene.” Terry later gave a statement, reduced to writing, admitting intercourse with the girl and involving Ford. The jury was warned numerous times that this statement could be used only against Terry. The officer testified that “Terry’s statement was read to Ford—” but was stopped by objection from Ford’s counsel. Later when asked, “What did Ford sa.y to you?” the officer answered, “Well, to my knowledge he did not say anything regarding this incident here.” The evidence shows, however, that Ford did deny to the officer that he was with Terry on New Year’s Eve.2 [595]*595We need not pass upon whether this constituted a waiver of his constitutional privilege, so that his failure to deny incriminating statements made at approximately the same time could be used against him..

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
165 A.2d 113, 193 Pa. Super. 588, 1960 Pa. Super. LEXIS 706, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-ford-pasuperct-1960.