Commonwealth v. Martz

926 A.2d 514, 2007 Pa. Super. 165, 2007 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1575
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 6, 2007
StatusPublished
Cited by95 cases

This text of 926 A.2d 514 (Commonwealth v. Martz) 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. Martz, 926 A.2d 514, 2007 Pa. Super. 165, 2007 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1575 (Pa. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION BY

POPOVICH, J.:

¶ 1 Appellant Derek Martz appeals the judgment of sentence for corruption of minors and indecent assault on grounds that: 1) the trial court erred in denying his motion to dismiss pursuant to Pa. R.Crim.P. 600; 2) the trial court erred in determining that he is a sexually violent predator (“SVP”); 3) the evidence is insufficient to sustain his conviction; and 4) the convictions should merge for sentencing purposes. We affirm in part and vacate in part.

*517 ¶ 2 In evaluating Rule 600 issues, our standard of review of a trial court’s decision is whether the trial court abused its discretion. Commonwealth v. Frye, 909 A.2d 853, 857 (Pa.Super.2006). Furthermore:

The proper scope of review [ ... ] is limited to the evidence of record of the Rule 600 evidentiary hearing, and the findings of the trial court. An appellate court must view the facts in the light most favorable to the prevailing party. Additionally, when considering the trial court’s ruling, this Court is not permitted to ignore the dual purpose behind Rule 600. Rule 600 serves two equally important functions: (1) the protection of the accused’s speedy trial rights, and (2) the protection of society. In determining whether an accused’s right to a speedy trial has been violated, consideration must be given to society’s right to effective prosecution of criminal cases, both to restrain those guilty of crime and to deter those contemplating it. However, the administrative mandate of Rule 600 was not designed to insulate the criminally accused from good faith prosecution delayed through no fault of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth v. Hunt, 858 A.2d 1234, 1238-39 (2004) (en banc).

¶3 So long as there has been no misconduct on the part of the Commonwealth in an effort to evade the fundamental speedy trial rights of an accused, Rule 600 must be construed in a manner consistent with society’s right to punish and deter crime. Commonwealth v. Jones, 886 A.2d 689, 699 (Pa.Super.2005).

¶ 4 Rule 600 sets forth the speedy trial requirements and provides in pertinent part:

Rule 600. Prompt Trial
* # # *
(A) (3) Trial in a court case in which a written complaint is filed against the defendant, when the defendant is at liberty on bail, shall commence no later than 365 days from the date on which the complaint is filed.
$ ‡ ‡
(C) In determining the period of commencement of trial, there shall be excluded therefrom:
(3) such period of delay at any stage of the proceedings as results from: [ ... ](b) any continuance granted at the request of the defendant or the defendant’s attorney.
(G) For defendants on bail after the expiration of 365 days, at any time before trial, the defendant or the defendant’s attorney may apply to the court for an order dismissing the charges with prejudice on the ground that this rule has been violated. A copy of such motion shall be served upon the attorney for the Commonwealth, who shall also have the right to be heard thereon.
If the court, upon hearing, shall determine that the Commonwealth exercised due diligence and that the circumstances occasioning the postponement were beyond the control of the Commonwealth, the motion to dismiss shall be denied and the case shall be listed for trial on a date certain. [...].

Pa.R.Crim.P. 600.

¶ 5 In the context of Rule 600, there is a distinction between “excludable time” and “excusable delay.” Unlike “excludable time,” which is defined in Rule 600(C), supra, in pertinent part, “excusable delay” is not expressly defined in Rule 600, but the “legal construct takes into account de *518 lays which occur as a result of circumstances beyond the Commonwealth’s control and despite its due diligence.” Hunt, 858 A.2d at 1241.

¶ 6 If the Commonwealth attempts to bring a defendant to trial beyond the 365-day period prescribed by Rule 600, and the defendant files a Rule 600 motion to dismiss, the court must assess. whether there is excludable time and/or excusable delay. Frye, 909 A.2d at 857. Even where a violation of Rule 600 has occurred, we recognize:

The motion to dismiss the charges should be denied if the Commonwealth exercised due diligence and the circumstances occasioning the postponement were beyond the control of the Commonwealth.
Due diligence is a fact-specific concept that must be determined on a case-by-case basis. Due diligence does not require perfect vigilance and punctilious care, but rather a showing by the Commonwealth that a reasonable effort has been put forth.
Reasonable effort includes such actions as the Commonwealth listing the case for trial prior to the run date to ensure that defendant was brought to trial within the time prescribed by Rule 600.

Id. at 858 (quoting Hunt, 858 A.2d at 1241-42 (emphasis in original)).

¶ 7 Herein, a complaint was filed against Appellant on October 10, 2003. N.T. Rule 600 Hearing, 5/5/05, at.2. The mechanical run date for Appellant’s trial under Rule 600(A)(3) was October 10, 2004. However, Appellant’s case was not heard by a jury until June 22, 2005. See Court of Common Pleas of Montour County, Criminal Docket, at 1; Trial court opinion, 7/20/06, at 2 (unnumbered). The passage of 19 months from the date the complaint was filed exceeds by 7 months the time for bringing Appellant to trial under Rule 600. Unless 7 months are excludable/excusable from the run date, or it is proven by the Commonwealth that it exercised due diligence in bringing Appellant to trial beyond the 365-day run date, a violation of Rule 600 would be found and necessitate a dismissal of the charges. See Appellant’s brief, at 23.

¶8 The record discloses that a hearing was conducted on May 5, 2005, to assess the merits of Appellant’s Rule 600 motion. At the direction of the Commonwealth, the stenographer typed all of the court appearances related to this case, marked the document Commonwealth Exhibit No. 1, and introduced the exhibit into evidence, which recites a chronology of events relevant to the continuances granted herein; to-wit:

February 9, 2004
[Assistant ■ District Attorney]: [ ... ] [Appellant’s counsel] fil[ed] a motion for continuance.
THE COURT: We will grant the continuance and will enter [Appellant’s counsel’s] appearance!.]
April 12, 2004
[Assistant District Attorney]: [Commonwealth v.

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Bluebook (online)
926 A.2d 514, 2007 Pa. Super. 165, 2007 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1575, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-martz-pasuperct-2007.