Commonwealth v. McDade

35 Pa. D. & C.5th 247
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County
DecidedDecember 31, 2013
DocketNo. 803
StatusPublished

This text of 35 Pa. D. & C.5th 247 (Commonwealth v. McDade) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. McDade, 35 Pa. D. & C.5th 247 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013).

Opinion

HODGE, J.,

Before the court for disposition is the petition for writ of habeas corpus (hereinafter, the “petition”) filed on behalf of the defendant, Andre DeAngelo (hereinafter, the “defendant”). A hearing on this matter was scheduled on October 31,2013, at which time the Commonwealth submitted the notes of testimony from the preliminary hearing held in the instant case. The Commonwealth and the defendant were further directed to file memoranda of law in support of their respective positions.

The charges in this case arise from events occurring on June 26, 2013. On that date, the defendant was driving along Grant Street, New Castle, Pennsylvania. Officer David Maiella and Officer James Hoyland of the [249]*249New Castle Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Grant Street for a violation of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code. Officer Maiella approached the vehicle and requested the driver to produce a license and proof of registration for the vehicle. Officer Maiella contacted the Lawrence Emergency Operations Center, L.E.O.C., with the defendant’s information, wherefrom, Officer Maiella discovered that the defendant had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from the State of Michigan. Officer Maiella questioned the defendant about the outstanding warrant, and the defendant acknowledged that he had an outstanding warrant, and submitted himself for arrest. Thereafter, Office Maiella searched the defendant’s person pursuant to an arrest and placed the defendant inside unit 14, which was being operated by Officer Hallowich. Officer Hallowich transported the defendant to the New Castle Police Station, where the defendant was strip searched and placed in a holding cell. Following the defendant’s arrest, Officer Maiella was contacted by the issuing authorities in Michigan, who informed Officer Maiella that the authorities in Michigan would not be extraditing the defendant. Officer Maiella provided the defendant with a traffic citation and released the defendant from custody.

Subsequently, Officer Hallowich was called to assist in transporting a different individual from Neshannock Township to the New Castle Police Station. Prior to putting this person in his vehicle, Officer Hallowich searched the back seat of his police cruiser. Officer Hallowich found a small baggie containing heroin on the driver’s rear floor area. Officer Hallowich contacted Officer Maiella to inform him of the heroin because Officer Hallowich assumed that it had to have come from the defendant.

[250]*250Based upon the foregoing, the defendant was charged with one count of Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver a Controlled Substance1, one count ofPossessionofDrug Paraphernalia2, and one count Intentional Possession of a Controlled Substance by a Person Not Registered3. Following a preliminary hearing on July 11, 2013, the aforementioned charges were bound over for court. On August 29, 2013 the defendant filed the instant petition, wherein the defendant argues that the Commonwealth failed to present sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case for the aforementioned charges. A hearing was scheduled before this court on October 31, 2013. At the hearing, the parties agreed to stipulate to the facts contained in the transcript from the preliminary hearing and to submit memoranda of law in support of their respective positions. Neither side presented additional evidence at the October 31, 2013 hearing. Thus, the matter is properly before the court for disposition.

Where a criminal defendant seeks to challenge the sufficiency of the evidence presented at his preliminary hearing, he may do so by filing a writ of habeas corpus. Commonwealth v. McBride, 595 A.2d 589 (Pa. 1995); Commonwealth v. Carmody, 799 A.2d 143 (Pa. Super. 2002). The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to avoid the incarceration or trial of a defendant unless there is sufficient evidence to establish a crime was committed and the probability the defendant could be connected with the crime. Commonwealth v. Fox, 422 619 A.2d 327, 332 (Pa. Super. 1993), appeal denied, 535 Pa. 659, 634 A.2d [251]*251222 (1993) (quoting Commonwealth v. Tyler, 587 A.2d 326, 328 (Pa. Super. 1991), appeal denied, 617 A.2d 1263 (Pa. 1992)).

In evaluating an accused’s entitlement to pre-trial habeas corpus relief, a trial court must determine when there is sufficient evidence to make out a prima facie case that the defendant committed the crime with which he is charged. Commonwealth v. Hock, 728 A.2d 943 (Pa. 1993). In a habeas corpus proceeding, the Commonwealth has the burden of establishing a prima facie case, offering some proof to establish each material element of the offense as charged. Commonwealth v. Owen, 580 A.2d 412 (Pa. Super. 1990). This does not mean that the prosecution must prove the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; rather, the prosecution must establish “sufficient probable cause” that the accused has committed the offense. Commonwealth v. Prosdocimo, 479 A.2d 1073 (Pa. Super. 1994).

This is not the junction of the proceeding to make credibility and weight determinations. Commonwealth v. Williams, 911 A.2d 548, 551 (Pa. Super. 2006). The court must “view the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth” and “consider the reasonable inferences based on that evidence which could support a guilty verdict.” Williams, supra. Although a habeas corpus hearing is similar to a preliminary hearing, in a habeas corpus proceeding the Commonwealth has the opportunity to present additional evidence to establish that the defendant has committed the elements of the offense charged. Commonwealth v. Karlson, 674 A.2d 249 (Pa. Super. 1996).

As previously stated, the defendant is charged with [252]*252the crimes of Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver a Controlled Substance in violation 35 P.S. §780-113 (a) (30); Intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered in violation of 35 P.S. §780-113(a) (16); and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia in violation of 35 P.S. §780-113 (a) (32).

Section 35 P.S. §780-113 of the controlled substance, drug, device and cosmetic act provides the following:

(a) The following acts and the causing thereof within the Commonwealth are hereby prohibited:

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Related

Commonwealth v. Murphy
795 A.2d 1025 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Commonwealth v. Hock
728 A.2d 943 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Carmody
799 A.2d 143 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Commonwealth v. Aguado
760 A.2d 1181 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2000)
Commonwealth v. Metzger
372 A.2d 20 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1977)
Commonwealth v. Cameron
372 A.2d 904 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1977)
Sutton v. State
343 S.W.2d 452 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1961)
Commonwealth v. Owen
580 A.2d 412 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1990)
Peachie v. State
100 A.2d 1 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2001)
Commonwealth v. Karlson
674 A.2d 249 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
Commonwealth v. Murphy
844 A.2d 1228 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2004)
Commonwealth v. MacOlino
469 A.2d 132 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1983)
Commonwealth v. Sterling
361 A.2d 799 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1976)
Commonwealth v. Haskins
677 A.2d 328 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
Commonwealth v. McBride
595 A.2d 589 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)
Commonwealth v. Tyler
587 A.2d 326 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)
Commonwealth v. Fox
619 A.2d 327 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1993)
Commonwealth v. Williams
911 A.2d 548 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2006)
Commonwealth v. Harper
611 A.2d 1211 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
Commonwealth v. Valette
613 A.2d 548 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)

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Bluebook (online)
35 Pa. D. & C.5th 247, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-mcdade-pactcompllawren-2013.