Commonwealth v. Mervin

63 Pa. D. & C.2d 62, 1973 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 290
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Chester County
DecidedMay 11, 1973
Docketnos. 185 and 186
StatusPublished

This text of 63 Pa. D. & C.2d 62 (Commonwealth v. Mervin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Chester County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Mervin, 63 Pa. D. & C.2d 62, 1973 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 290 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1973).

Opinion

WAJERT, J.,

Defendant was found guilty by a jury on four counts of a bill of indictment charging subornation of perjury and one count of a bill of indictment charging him with conspiracy. Verdicts of not guilty were returned by the jury on other counts charging perjury and subornation of perjury. [63]*63Motions in arrest of judgment and for a new trial were timely filed. Argument was heard before the court en banc.

Defendant asserts 19 reasons in support of his motion for a new trial.

I. Defendant alleges the court erred in charging the jury that the “two-witness rule” does not apply to proof of the charges of subornation of perjury. The trial judge carefully charged the jury as to each of the elements of perjury and explained the two-witness rule as it is applied in Pennsylvania setting forth to the jury that the falsity element of a perjury conviction must be supported either by the direct testimony of two witnesses or by the direct testimony of one witness plus corroborating evidence: Commonwealth v. Field, 223 Pa. Superior Ct. 258 (1972). The court then went on and charged the jury that to sustain the charge of subornation of perjury there must be proof of actual perjury committed by the suborned witness, proof of all of the elements enumerated in the crime of perjury, committed by the witness alleged to be suborned, and one additional element; that the accused induced, persuaded and instigated the suborned witness to commit the crime of perjury. This additional fact, procurement of the witness, does not require proof by more than one witness: Commonwealth v. Billingsley, 160 Pa. Superior Ct. 140 (1947); Commonwealth v. Rossi, 170 Pa. Superior Ct. 292 (1952); Commonwealth v. Leitch, 185 Pa. Superior Ct. 261 (1958). The trial judge correctly instructed the jury.

Nor do we find merit in defendant’s contention that the rule should be changed. In 7 Wigmore (3d ed.) §2042, it is stated that the rule should not apply necessarily to a charge of subornation of perjury, because the act of subornation does not involve the theory of oath against oath, and the perjury may be evidenced [64]*64by the perjured witness himself, whose present testimony is thus not opposed to the testimony for the prosecution. We believe that to be sound rationale for the rule.

II. Defendant next alleges the court erred in not permitting defense counsel adequate time to prepare his summation to the jury. The record does not agree with this contention. On four prior occasions during the trial, the court instructed counsel to be prepared to present their arguments to the jury at the conclusion of testimony. At the conclusion of the testimony on the evening prior to the last day when testimony was offered, the court specifically instructed counsel in chambers to prepare their arguments. In addition, the court recessed for 45 minutes after the completion of the testimony to enable counsel further opportunity to prepare and present his closing argument to the jury. The conduct of closing arguments was in accordance with Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 1116.

“ ‘The constitutional right to be heard by counsel carries with it the right to have arguments of counsel considered by the jury in passing upon the evidence’ Commonwealth v. Brown, 309 Pa. 515 (1933). The trial judge properly instructed the jury as to their duty with regard to the arguments of counsel. The court may regulate the manner and time for the exercise of the right to be heard by counsel, and may limit the number and length of the addresses to be made to the jury: Commonwealth v. Polichinus, 229 Pa. 311 (1910). No time limitation was.imposed. Defendant’s counsel addressed the jury in excess of 90 minutes. There was no deprivation of abridgment of defendant’s right.

III. Defendant asserts next that the district attorney failed to inform the jury and defense counsel of the existence of evidence which would tend to negate the guilt of the accused, to mitigate the degree of the of[65]*65fense or to reduce the punishment therefor, relying on Commonwealth v. Stewart, 449 Pa. 50 (1972) and Commonwealth v. Morris, 444 Pa. 364 (1971). Although the exact nature of the evidence is not set forth in the reason alleged in the motion filed in this matter, defendant’s brief refers to evidence obtained from Dr. Wert’s office, one of the persons alleged in the charges as having perjured himself at defendant’s request. Suffice it to say that defendant was found not guilty of that count of the indictment alleging suborning Dr. Wert to commit perjury and the count of the indictment charging defendant with the crime of perjury. Further, Dr. Wert testified as a defense witness and testified as to the contents of the letter which defendant alleges is in the possession of the district attorney. Defendant was well aware of the existence of the letter in question, he himself having requested Dr. Wert to write it. Dr. Wert testified as to its contents and the jury considered it favorably as the verdicts evidence.

IV. Defendant further avers that the indictments were defective. Defendant timely filed a pretrial application to quash the indictments. Defendant did not raise the precise issue raised now in that pretrial application. Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 304(e) provides:

“All grounds for the relief demanded shall be stated in the application and failure to state a ground shall constitute a waiver thereof.”

Aside from the issue of waiver, the jury having returned a verdict of not guilty as to the charge of perjury, the issue raised as to the specificity of the assignment of perjury is moot. As to those counts of which defendant was found guilty, we find no merit in defendant’s contention. Those charges as set forth in the bill of indictment comply with the requirements of the [66]*66rules and validly set forth with sufficient specificity the required information.

V. Defendant next avers that error was committed by virtue of the refusal of the court to grant a continuance and a change of venue. With reference to the continuance, two matters need to be discussed. The court may, in the interests of justice, grant a continuance of its own motion, or on the application of either party. Defendant had ample notice of the date of trial and no valid reason has been advanced in support of the untimely motion which was filed: Pa. R. Crim. P. 301(a) and (b). Defendant now complains that he was involved in a lengthy matter before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania until the Friday evening preceding the date of trial. Those proceedings were initiated by defendant and that court denied his complaint: John A. Mervin v. William H. Lamb et al., Civil Action No. 72-2358, U. S. District Court, E. D. Pa. (1972). To now assert as grounds for a continuance, his involvement in that proceeding which he initiated has no merit. Ample opportunity had been afforded defendant to prepare his defense, an excellent defense was presented, and, indeed, the litigation in the Federal court was likewise well presented. We find no basis in law for granting a new trial because of the refusal to grant a continuance.

As to the refusal of the court to grant the requested change of venue, again, the application for pretrial relief was not filed until the morning of the first day of the scheduled hearing, Monday, December 4, 1972. In his application, defendant averred that:

“2.

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Related

Commonwealth v. Shorter
252 A.2d 679 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1969)
Commonwealth v. Osborne
249 A.2d 330 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1969)
Commonwealth v. Leitch
137 A.2d 909 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1958)
Commonwealth v. Morris
281 A.2d 851 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1971)
Commonwealth v. Pierce
303 A.2d 209 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1973)
Commonwealth v. Amos
284 A.2d 748 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1971)
Commonwealth v. Field
298 A.2d 908 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1972)
Commonwealth v. Rankin
272 A.2d 886 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1971)
Commonwealth v. Stewart
295 A.2d 303 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1972)
Commonwealth v. Brown
164 A. 726 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1932)
Commonwealth v. Billingsley
50 A.2d 703 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1946)
Commonwealth v. Polichinus
78 A. 382 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1910)
Commonwealth v. Rossi
85 A.2d 598 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1952)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
63 Pa. D. & C.2d 62, 1973 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 290, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-mervin-pactcomplcheste-1973.