Commonwealth v. Patosky

656 A.2d 499, 440 Pa. Super. 535, 1995 Pa. Super. LEXIS 589
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 16, 1995
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 656 A.2d 499 (Commonwealth v. Patosky) 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. Patosky, 656 A.2d 499, 440 Pa. Super. 535, 1995 Pa. Super. LEXIS 589 (Pa. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinions

[539]*539HOFFMAN, Judge:

This is an appeal from the August 5, 1993 judgment of sentence for indecent assault.1 Appellant, Fred W. Patosky, presents the following issues for our review:

I. Should the decision of this Honorable Court in Commonwealth v. Kyle be reversed to allow an in camera review of the alleged victim’s psychiatric records?
A. Does the absolute privileged communication between patient and psychiatrist violate appellant’s constitutional rights to effective confrontation, compulsory process, due process and effective assistance of counsel?
B. Did the Court err in denying an evidentiary hearing to determine the necessity of an absolute privilege?
C. Does the absolute privilege violate the doctrine of the separation of powers?
D. Does the absolute privilege constitute an abuse of police power?
II. Did the Court err and deny appellant a fair trial by allowing him to be impeached on a collateral issue?
III. Did the Court err and deny appellant a fair trial because appellant was allowed to be impeached by proof of specific conduct to refute his evidence of good reputation for peacefulness?
IV. Did the Court err and deprive appellant a fair trial because evidence was allowed relative to the alleged victim’s demeanor at the time she registered her complaint almost two months after the alleged offense and because the court failed to instruct on this issue as requested?
V. Did the Court below err in failing to instruct the jury, as requested, to view the testimony of the alleged victim with extreme caution because of her failure to make a prompt complaint of charges of indecent assault?

Appellant’s Brief at 3.

The trial court recited the facts of this case as follows:

[540]*540Eleanor Paine testified that during the early morning hours of November 19, 1990, she and [appellant] both of whom were employees of United Airlines, were in the break room at the United Airlines air freight dock at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport. Ms. Paine commented that her fingers were stiff and [appellant] started to rub her hand. He then grabbed her hand with both of his hands and began to pull Ms. Paine toward a cot which was in the room. Ms. Paine told the [appellant] to leave her alone. Instead, [appellant] put his arm around her and responded that he was “collecting the pay she owed him.” He then pulled the victim down onto the cot and got on top of her. He put his hands under her knees, pulled her legs up, and pinned her to the cot. [Appellant] then unbuckled her belt and unzipped her pants. Ms. Paine yelled, “Stop it,” several times but [appellant] continued and said repeatedly that he was just trying to make her feel good. When Ms. Paine began to complain that [appellant] was hurting her back, he got off of her and allowed her to stand up, but he then began to rub her breasts and he kissed the crotch area of her pants. Ms. Paine did not report the incident until two months later.

Trial Court Opinion at 3.

On January 17, 1991, a complaint was filed against appellant charging him with indecent assault, simple assault2 and the summary offense of harassment.3 Following a jury trial, appellant was convicted of indecent assault and acquitted of simple assault.4 Post-verdict motions were filed and denied. Appellant was subsequently sentenced to three (3) to six (6) months imprisonment, with a recommendation of alternative housing in a treatment facility. This timely appeal followed.

Appellant first argues that his constitutional rights to effective confrontation, compulsory process, due process and effective assistance of counsel were all violated when the trial [541]*541court did not allow his attorney to conduct an in camera review of the victim’s psychiatric records. We disagree.

In 1989, the legislature amended 42 Pa.C.S. § 5944 to read as follows:

No psychiatrist or person who has been licensed ... to practice psychology shall be, without the written consent of his client, examined in any civil or criminal matter as to any information acquired in the course of his professional services in behalf of such client. The confidential relations and communications between a psychologist or psychiatrist and his client shall be on the same basis as those provided or prescribed by law between an attorney and client.

42 Pa.C.S. § 5944. In Commonwealth v. Smith, 414 Pa.Super. 208, 213, 606 A.2d 939, 942 (1992), appeal denied, 533 Pa. 624, 620 A.2d 490 (1993), our Court held that the denial of access to statutorily protected psychiatric records under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5944 did not violate a defendant’s right to confrontation and compulsory process. This case was just one of a long line of recent Pennsylvania decisions which have denied a defendant access to confidential therapeutic records. See also Commonwealth v. Wilson, 529 Pa. 268, 281, 602 A.2d 1290, 1298 (1992) (absolute privilege denying access to victim’s records with her sexual assault counselor did not violate defendant’s constitutional rights to compulsory process and confrontation), cert. denied, 504 U.S. 977, 112 S.Ct. 2952, 119 L.Ed.2d 574 (1992); Commonwealth v. Kennedy, 413 Pa.Super. 95, 115-16, 604 A.2d 1036, 1047 (1992) (en banc) (defendant’s constitutional rights to compulsory process and confrontation were not violated by denial of access to child victim’s statutorily protected psychotherapeutic records under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5944), alloc. denied, 531 Pa. 688, 611 A.2d 711 (1992); Commonwealth v. Eck, 413 Pa.Super. 538, 544, 605 A.2d 1248, 1251-52 (1992) (“Information which is protected by an absolute statutory privilege is not subject to disclosure and denial of access to a criminal defendant is required”). Therefore, in light of this precedential authority, appellant’s constitutional rights have [542]*542not been violated by this denial of access.5 Accordingly, his argument fails.6

Appellant also claims that by enacting this statute, the legislature abused its police power. We disagree.

An act of assembly will not be deemed unconstitutional unless it clearly, palpably, and plainly violates the constitution. Hayes v. Erie Insurance Exchange, 493 Pa. 150, 155, 425 A.2d 419, 421 (1981). The burden rests on those alleging the unconstitutionality of the enactment. Commonwealth v. Sutley, 474 Pa. 256, 260-61, 378 A.2d 780, 782 (1977).

The doctrine of police power grants the legislature the power to regulate the public health, safety, welfare and morals. Commonwealth v. Bonadio, 490 Pa. 91, 95, 415 A.2d 47, 49 (1980). The legislature through its police power may legislate except where such legislation has been prohibited. Lloyd v.

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Bluebook (online)
656 A.2d 499, 440 Pa. Super. 535, 1995 Pa. Super. LEXIS 589, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-patosky-pasuperct-1995.