Commonwealth v. Heichel

11 Pa. D. & C.5th 69
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Centre County
DecidedJanuary 28, 2010
Docketno. CP-14-CR-1690-2009
StatusPublished

This text of 11 Pa. D. & C.5th 69 (Commonwealth v. Heichel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Centre County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Heichel, 11 Pa. D. & C.5th 69 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010).

Opinion

RUEST, J,

Presently before the court is Ronald L. Heichel’s petition for writ of habeas corpus filed on October 9, 2009. A hearing was held on November 13,2009. Both parties submitted briefs. After consideration of the arguments at the hearing and after review of the briefs of the parties, the court denies defendant’s petition for writ of habeas corpus.

BACKGROUND

On August 28, 2009, Ronald L. Heichel was arrested by Trooper Leigh Barrows of the Pennsylvania State Police — Rockview Barracks and charged with criminal homicide, 18 Pa.C.S. §2501(a); criminal conspiracy (criminal homicide), 18 Pa.C.S. §903(a)(l)/18 Pa.C.S. §2501(a); aggravated assault, 18 Pa.C.S. §2702(a)(l); and theft by unlawful taking or disposition, 18 Pa.C.S. §3921(a); all as the result of an incident alleged to have occurred on August 23, 2009, at 383 Tusseyville Road, Potter Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Defendant was arraigned before Judge Bradley P. Lunsford on August 28,2009, who denied defendant the right to post bail. Defendant, along with codefendant Mirinda Boob, appeared for a preliminary hearing in Centre County Central Court on September 16, 2009, before Magisterial District Judge Carmine W. Prestia. Prior to the pre[71]*71liminary hearing, the Commonwealth withdrew the charge of theft by unlawful taking or disposition. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, defendant was bound over to the court of common pleas on the remaining charges contained in Centre County information no. CP-14-CR-1690-2009.

Defendant filed the present petition and the court held a hearing on November 13, 2009. The court ordered briefs on two issues: First, whether a defendant has the right to call witnesses and present evidence negating the Commonwealth’s evidence at the preliminary hearing/ habeas corpus hearing; and second, what statements are to be considered exceptions to hearsay and be proffered as evidence against defendant to show prima facie conspiracy to commit criminal homicide and what statements would violate the hearsay rule and the Confrontation Clause of the United States Constitution, Amendment VI and the Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 1, Section 9.

DISCUSSION

The Commonwealth has the burden of establishing a prima facie case that a crime has been committed and that the accused is probably the one who committed it. Commonwealth v. McBride, 528 Pa. 153, 157-58, 595 A.2d 589, 591 (1991). To meet its burden, “the Commonwealth is required to present evidence with regard to each of the material elements of the charge and to establish sufficient probable cause to warrant the belief that the accused committed the offense.” Id. at 158, 595 A.2d at 591. “Evidentiary inferences... are constitutionally infirm unless the inferred fact is ‘more likely than [72]*72not to flow from the proved fact on which it depends.’” Id. at 159, 595 A.2d at 591. (citation omitted) The “more-likely-than-not” test [is a] minimum standard in assessing the reasonableness of inferences relied upon to establish a prima facie case. Commonwealth v. Wojdak, 502 Pa. 359, 369, 466 A.2d 991, 996 (1983).

The Commonwealth maintains a defendant cannot present evidence at a habeas corpus hearing that contradicts that presented by the Commonwealth at a preliminary hearing, arguing that considering such evidence would put the court in the position of improperly making credibility determinations in a habeas corpus proceeding. See Commonwealth v. Williams, 911 A.2d 548 (Pa. Super. 2006).

Our Rules of Criminal Procedure are quite clear on this issue relative to a preliminary hearing: “the defendant shall be present at any preliminary hearing and may:... (3) call witnesses on the defendant’s behalf, other than witnesses to the defendant’s good reputation only; (4) offer evidence on the defendant’s own behalf, and testify;” Pa. R.Crim.P. 542(C)(3) and (4). The Pennsylvania Supreme Court further illuminates this issue, again relative to a preliminary hearing, noting that “ [t]he hearing’s principal function is to protect an individual’s right against unlawful detention____In seeking this protection, the defendant has the right to contest the existence of a prima facie case and may not be denied the opportunity of presenting evidence which, in his view, negates its existence.” Commonwealth v. Mullen, 460 Pa. 336, 341-42, 333 A.2d 755, 757 (1975). (citation omitted) The parties were unable to locate a single case addressing whether a defendant may call witnesses at a habeas cor[73]*73pus proceeding when the Commonwealth offers no additional evidence. The court has determined that the habeas corpus hearing testimony of Trooper David Aiello is not necessary for its decision in this matter. The issue as to presenting evidence at habeas hearings is therefore moot.

Defendant maintains the Commonwealth has failed to establish aprima facie case as to the offenses of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy (criminal homicide), and aggravated assault. Defendant argues the Commonwealth failed to establish prima facie that defendant pulled the trigger on Samuel Boob’s gun, killing the decedent. Defendant further argues that it is far more likely that Ms. Boob committed the homicide herself.

The Commonwealth maintains the text messages place defendant at the scene of the homicide and detail how and when defendant and Ms. Boob intended to kill Samuel Boob. These text messages begin the morning of August 23, 2009, with defendant inquiring of Ms. Boob whether she saw him outside when she went outside herself. Defendant and Ms. Boob also allegedly discuss killing Samuel Boob during their text exchanges. First, defendant refers to Ms. Boob’s appearance, revealing that he can see Ms. Boob and is therefore nearby. Ms. Boob acknowledges this text. Defendant asks if Samuel will be going to church with Ms. Boob, and then asks “Are you sure you want the pond done?” The Commonwealth argues this is code for your husband murdered.” In later texts, defendant and Ms. Boob discuss her going to church so that she has an alibi for when the pond is done. Defendant then asks about the whereabouts of Samuel Boob, and indicates that defendant has concealed himself in the garage.

[74]*74The Commonwealth argues it defies reason to think Ms. Boob would need an alibi for the installation of a pond and that the only reason someone would need an alibi is if something bad is going to happen and the person the bad thing happens to is no longer around to say who did the bad thing to him or her. The Commonwealth further argues this reasoning makes it unlikely that defendant was merely there to “rough up” or “confront” Samuel Boob over his alleged abuse of his wife, Ms. Boob, as he would still be around to identify who roughed him up.

Defendant later placed himself in the area of the homicide when he texted his mother asking “Can you take me to Bellefonte? I’m on 192,” presumably referring to State Route 192, a road in the vicinity of the Boob residence. Defendant then texted his mother two more times, indicating he was walking along Route 192.

The court determines the Commonwealth has established to a prima facie level a case against defendant for criminal homicide.

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Bluebook (online)
11 Pa. D. & C.5th 69, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-heichel-pactcomplcentre-2010.