Com. v. Robertson, K. ( 2019 )

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NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
KASHIF M. ROBERTSON :
:
Appellant : No. 1606 MDA 2017
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered August 16, 2017
In the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County Criminal Division at
No(s): CP-22-CR-0002594-2016
BEFORE: OTT, J., McLAUGHLIN, J., and FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.
MEMORANDUM BY McLAUGHLIN, J.: FILED FEBRUARY 05, 2019
Kashif M. Robertson appeals from the judgment of sentence entered
following his convictions for fleeing and eluding a police officer, possession of
drug paraphernalia, driving on a sidewalk, failure to stop at stop sign, and
failure to signal.1 He challenges the denial of his motion to suppress, the
sufficiency of the evidence, and the court’s instructions to the jury. We affirm.
Police arrested and charged Robertson with the above crimes in March
2016, and Robertson filed a motion to suppress. The trial court held a hearing
on the motion at which the Commonwealth presented the following evidence.
Harrisburg City Police Officer Robert Fleagle testified that at
approximately 3:45 a.m. on March 14, 2016, he was on patrol in a police SUV
with Officer Angel Diaz. N.T. (Suppression Hearing), 6/22/17, at 9, 18. Both
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1See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3733(a); 35 P.S. § 780-113(a)(32); and 75 Pa.C.S.A.
§§ 3703(a), 3323(b), and 3334(a), respectively.
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officers were in full uniform. Id. at 9. As they were driving down a narrow
two-way street with cars parked on both sides, they noticed a car parallel-
parked on the opposite side of the street with two motionless occupants. Id.
at 10, 20-21, 28. Both Officer Fleagle and Officer Diaz testified that the person
sitting in the driver’s seat, later identified as Robertson, appeared to be
sleeping. Id. at 10, 21, 28-29, 38, 45-46. Both officers also testified that there
were no lights on in the car, and that they did not initially notice whether the
car was running. Id. at 16, 29, 44.
Officer Fleagle testified that “in [his] 18 years as a patrolman for
Harrisburg City, [the police have] had numerous situations that could be
somebody with a health issue, somebody may be just asleep, maybe a DUI,
[or that] somebody might be dead.” Id. at 11. He also said that the police
have encountered “people who are actually shot in vehicles before, [and we]
came across them that they were dead in the vehicle.” Id. Officer Fleagle
stated that he and Officer Diaz therefore “wanted to check on their welfare
and see what was going on.” Id. He elaborated,
we didn’t know if it was medical, if he’s just asleep or if it’s a DUI.
I mean, let’s be honest. I’m looking for criminal activity at that
time, I’m not going to, you know, lie to you. But, you know, I
didn’t know if he was – if something was wrong with him or if they
were just drunk, high, or just sleeping.
Id. at 23-24.
Officer Fleagle pulled the police SUV alongside the driver’s side of the
parked car, leaving two or three feet of space between the vehicles. Id. at 10,
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18. Both officers testified that the placement of the SUV blocked Robertson’s
car from leaving. Id. at 12, 19, 23, 43.
Officer Fleagle shined a floodlight inside the car and confirmed that both
occupants were asleep. Id. at 10, 23.2 Robertson’s seat was leaning partially
backward, and the passenger, a woman, had leaned her seat all the way back.
Id. at 10, 29. Robertson and the passenger awoke. Id. at 11, 23. Officer
Fleagle lowered his window and asked Robertson if he was okay. Id. at 11,
23-24. According to Officer Fleagle, Robertson stared blankly at him, with a
“thousand-yard stare,” and did not lower his window. Id. at 11. Officer Diaz
similarly testified that “they both looked towards us with a thousand-yard
stare. They had, like, a surprised look on their face[s] and were very slow with
their movements.” Id. at 29. Officer Diaz concluded that “they appeared to
be under the influence of drugs or something,” and that “from the way they
looked over to me, I believed them – from my experience at the time that
they might be – at least the driver might be under the influence.” Id. at 29,
43. This assessment took “no longer than a minute.” Id. at 43.
Because the officers suspected that the occupants might be under the
influence of drugs and alcohol, Officer Diaz decided they should investigate
further. Id. at 32, 44-45. Officer Fleagle then backed up the police SUV so
that the front of its bumper was in line with the front of Robertson’s car. Id.
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2 Officer Fleagle also testified that he first observed the female passenger once
he turned the floodlight on, contradicting his earlier testimony that he had
initially seen two people in the car. N.T. (Suppression) at 29.
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at 12, 24. The officers’ vehicle continued to block Robertson’s car from leaving,
and Officer Fleagle testified that Robertson was not free to leave at that time.
Id. at 24-26.
While Officer Diaz walked to the rear of the car, Officer Fleagle
approached Robertson’s driver’s-side window on foot, tapped on the window,
and asked Robertson again if he was okay. Id. at 12. Officer Fleagle testified
that both Robertson and the female passenger “had a blank look on their face,
kind of confused, moving slow.” Id. at 12. Officer Fleagle asked Robertson to
lower his window, and Robertson lowered it three inches. Id. at 12, 25. Officer
Fleagle asked Robertson for identification, and Robertson “just looked at
[him]” and “was fumbling around.” Id. at 12. Officer Fleagle also stated that
Robertson “seemed lethargic, confused, he had a blank stare on his face, and
he was fumbling at one point when I asked him for his ID.” Id. at 14, 25.
Robertson never said “one word” to Officer Fleagle, but did produce an ID. Id.
at 13-15, 25. Both officers testified that it was around this time that they
smelled the odor of burnt marijuana emanating from inside the vehicle. Id. at
12, 25, 32-33.
Officer Fleagle stepped away to investigate Robertson’s identification.
Id. at 25. Officer Diaz approached the drivers’ window, and asked Robertson
and the passenger if they were on probation or parole; they responded in the
negative. Id. at 33. Officer Diaz asked the passenger for an ID, but she said
she did not have one with her. Id. at 33. Officer Diaz testified that he asked
Robertson if he had recently smoked marijuana, and Robertson said that he
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had not. Id. at 33. Officer Diaz told Robertson that he could smell it, and
Robertson admitted to smoking “at least one marijuana cigarette.” Id. at 33.
Robertson spoke using only one or two words, not full sentences. Id. at 34.
According to Officer Diaz, Robertson was moving slowly, with bloodshot eyes,
and continually reached for his left waistband. Id. at 33-34. Officer Diaz
testified that he shined a flashlight into the car, and saw a clear plastic baggie
containing what appeared to be marijuana. Id. at 34. Officer Diaz then asked
Robertson to give him the bag, and when he did, Officer Diaz placed it atop
the car. Id. at 15, 34-35. Officer Diaz also observed a black scale next to the
gearshift. Id. at 35. During his interactions with Robertson, Officer Diaz
noticed that Robertson’s car was running, because he could see occasional
exhaust fumes. Id. at 34.
Officer Diaz asked Robertson to step out of the vehicle. Id. at 37.
Instead of complying, Robertson started to close the window. Id. at 37. Officer
Diaz told Robertson that if he did not stop, he would smash the window. Id.
at 37. Robertson continued rolling up the window, and Officer Diaz shattered
it. Id. at 37. Robertson then put the car in reverse and backed onto the
sidewalk, almost striking Officer Fleagle, and drove away. Id. at 16, 35-36,
49. Officer Fleagle never heard Robertson start the car before reversing. Id.
at 16.
A third police officer, John Rosinski, who was just arriving at the scene,
pursued Robertson’s fleeing vehicle. Id. at 36, 49. Officer Rosinski testified
that Robertson ignored stop signs, failed to signal, and drove at a high rate of
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speed. Id. at 49-50. Eventually, the car came to a stop at a dead end, and
Robertson jumped out and fled on foot. Id. at 50. Officer Rosinski yelled to
the female passenger to stay in the vehicle and chased Robertson on foot, but
lost sight of him. Id. When Officer Rosinski returned to the vehicle, the
passenger was no longer there. Id. Inside the vehicle, in plain view, he saw
another bag of suspected marijuana on the driver’s seat; a small digital scale
on the floor; and scattered pieces of mail addressed to Robertson on the
backseat. Id. at 50, 52-53.
The court denied Robertson’s motion to suppress, and Robertson
proceeded to a jury trial. At trial, which took place on August 16, 2017, the
Commonwealth presented the testimony of the three police officers and
introduced into evidence the two plastic bags of marijuana. N.T. (Trial),
8/16/17, at 35. The parties stipulated that the bags contained in all 0.27
grams of marijuana. Id. at 36-37. The prosecution did not introduce the digital
scale into evidence. Robertson testified in his own defense, and argued that
he fled from the police to protect himself and his passenger from danger, after
Officer Diaz shattered his window with the handle of a firearm. Id. at 80.
After the close of evidence and arguments, the court instructed the jury.
Because Robertson had argued that he was justified in fleeing from the police
in self-defense, the court instructed the jury on the “justification defense,” in
relation to the charge of fleeing and eluding an officer. Id. at 120-22. The
court explained,
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conduct the actor reasonably believes to be necessary to avoid an
imminent harm or evil to himself or another is justifiable if [(1)]
the harm or evil sought to be avoided by such conduct is greater
than that sought to be prevented by the law defining the offense
charged[,] and (2) the [statute defining the offense does not]
provide[] exceptions or defenses dealing with the specific situation
involved[,] and a legislative purpose to exclude the justification
claimed does not otherwise plainly appear.
Id. at 121-22. Robertson did not object.
After deliberating for approximately one hour, the jury asked the court
to repeat the elements of fleeing and eluding a police officer. Id. at 129. The
court reinstructed the jury on the elements of that crime, but did not reinstruct
on the justification defense. Id. at 129-30. Robertson objected, and the court
explained that it did not reinstruct the jury on the justification defense because
the jury had only asked for the elements of fleeing and eluding, and not
justification. Id. at 132.
The jury found Robertson guilty of fleeing and eluding an officer and
possession of drug paraphernalia. The trial court then found Robertson guilty
of the summary offenses of driving on a sidewalk, failure to stop at stop sign,
and failure to signal, but acquitted him of driving under the influence of a
controlled substance. The court then immediately sentenced Robertson to a
total of eight to twenty-three months’ incarceration followed by 12 months’
probation.
On September 1, 2017, the trial court docketed receipt of Robertson’s
post-sentence motion. The motion was stamped as received by the Dauphin
County Clerk of Courts on August 29, 2017, and dated as mailed by Robertson
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from prison on August 25, 2017. The court denied the motion on September
27, 2017, and Robertson filed a notice of appeal on October 10, 2017.
Robertson raises the following issues:
I. Did not the court err in denying [Robertson’s] Motion to
Suppress when the police effected a seizure of [Robertson’s]
person under Article 1, Section 8, of the Pennsylvania Constitution
without reasonable suspicion and when [Robertson’s] subsequent
flight and discarding of evidence is deemed not to constitute an
abandonment under Article 1, Section 8, of the Pennsylvania
Constitution?
II. Was not the evidence insufficient to sustain a conviction for the
offense of possessing drug paraphernalia?
III. Did not the court err in failing to re-instruct the jury on the
defense of justification when it re-instructed the jury on the
elements of the offense of fleeing and eluding?
Robertson’s Br. at 6.
On November 13, 2017, while this appeal was pending, Robertson filed
in this Court an “Application to Acknowledge August 25, 2017, as Date of Filing
of Post-Sentence Motion Pursuant to ‘Prisoner Mailbox Rule.’” According to
Robertson, the deadline for him to file his post-sentence motion was August
28, 2017. See Pa.R.Crim.P. 720(1) (allowing defendant ten days from date of
sentencing to file post-sentence motion); 1 Pa.C.S.A. § 1908 (providing that
when the last day of a period falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, it is
excluded from the computation of time). He asserts that he mailed his post-
sentence motion pro se from prison on August 25, 2016, and points out that
the trial court’s noting receipt of the motion on August 29 proves that he could
have mailed it no later than August 28, the due date. Robertson therefore
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argues that his motion should be deemed timely pursuant to the prisoner
mailbox rule. See Pa.R.A.P. 121(a) (providing that mailings from pro se
defendants in prison are deemed filed on the date that they are given to prison
authorities for mailing). The prisoner mailbox rule is clearly applicable to
Robertson’s mailing, and we therefore grant Robertson’s application.
The more difficult question is whether the trial court properly
entertained his pro se post-sentence motion, such that Robertson’s Notice of
Appeal was timely. It is unclear from the certified record whether Robertson
had counsel when he submitted his pro se motion, and a trial court generally
may not consider the pro se filings of a represented party. See
Commonwealth v. Ali, 10 A.3d 282, 293 (Pa. 2010) (stating pro se filing of
a represented defendant was a “legal nullity”).
Although Robertson had sought to represent himself at the outset of this
case, by the time of trial, he was represented by counsel, and counsel filed a
Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement and appellate brief. Nothing in the certified
record suggests that Robertson knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily
waived counsel for purposes of post-sentence motions. Nonetheless, the trial
court apparently did not think his post-sentence motion was a “legal nullity”
and ruled on it on the merits. Robertson relied on the entry of the order
disposing of that motion as triggering the 30-day clock for him to file an
appeal.
It thus appears from the certified record that either Robertson
improperly lacked counsel at the post-sentence motion stage, or the trial
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court’s ruling on his motion misled him about the deadline for him to file his
appeal. Notably, neither the trial court nor the Commonwealth is of the opinion
that Robertson improperly engaged in hybrid representation such that his
appeal is untimely. Under the circumstances presented here, we will deem
Robertson’s appeal to be timely. See Commonwealth v. Leatherby, 116
A.3d 73, 79 (Pa.Super. 2015) (en banc).
I. Suppression
In his first issue, Robertson argues that the police seized him when they
first blocked his car and shined a floodlight in his eyes. Robertson contends
that the seizure violated his rights under the federal and state Constitutions
because the police did not have reasonable suspicion at that time that he was
committing a crime. According to Robertson, when the officers blocked his car,
all they observed was someone sleeping in a legally parked car, who was
awakened by a floodlight. He argues that there were no signs of criminal
activity, such as indications that Robertson had recently been driving the car
or that the motor was running. Robertson argues that because the seizure
was illegal, the evidence recovered thereafter, including the bags of marijuana
that Robertson discarded, should be suppressed as tainted by the illegal
detention. See Robertson’s Br. at 33-35. Robertson further argues that the
seizure cannot be supported by the “community caretaking” exception to the
warrant requirement, because the police “lacked any objective basis to
believe” that Robertson “needed assistance.” See Robertson’s Reply Br. at 10.
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We review the denial of a motion to suppress to determine whether the
certified record supports the factual findings of the suppression court, and
reverse only if there is an error in the legal conclusions drawn from those
factual findings. Commonwealth v. Gould, 187 A.3d 927, 934 (Pa.Super.),
appeal denied, 194 A.3d 1040 (Pa. 2018). Our standard of review of the trial
court’s legal conclusions is de novo, and the scope, plenary. Commonwealth
v. Wilmer, 194 A.3d 564, 567 (Pa. 2018).
A warrantless seizure by the police violates a citizen’s constitutional
rights unless it is a brief detainment based on “reasonable suspicion that the
individual is or is about to be engaged in criminal activity” or qualifies under
certain established exceptions to the warrant requirement. Id. at 568. Police
interaction with a citizen rises to the level of a detainment or seizure when,
under an objective consideration of the circumstances, a reasonable person
would not believe he or she was free to leave. Commonwealth v.
Mulholland, 794 A.2d 398, 401 (Pa.Super. 2002). It is settled that a seizure
occurs when uniformed police purposefully park their vehicle in such a way as
to block the path of an occupied vehicle. See Gould, 187 A.3d at 936-37 &
n.9; Mulholland, 794 A.2d at 402.
Here, the uncontradicted evidence established that Robertson’s vehicle
was unable to legally exit its parking space when the police pulled their SUV
alongside of it, shined the floodlight inside, rolled down the window, and asked
Robertson if he was all right. It was therefore at this moment that Robertson
was detained for purposes of our analysis. See Gould, 187 A.3d at 936-37 &
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n.9; Mulholland, 794 A.2d at 402. The trial court concluded that the police
had reasonable suspicion to support an investigatory detention after this initial
interaction. See Trial Court Opinion, filed, 12/15/17, at 8-9. However, we may
affirm the trial court on any basis. See Commonwealth v. Clouser, 998 A.2d
656, 661 n.3 (Pa.Super. 2010). Our de novo review leads us to the conclusion
that the officers’ actions were justified under the public servant exception.
The public servant exception to the warrant requirement falls under the
umbrella of the “community caretaking doctrine.” Wilmer, 194 A.3d at 568-
69. Our Supreme Court has deemed this exception to apply when police
officers are “able to point to specific, objective, and articulable facts that would
reasonably suggest to an experienced officer that a citizen is in need of
assistance.” Commonwealth v. Livingstone, 174 A.3d 609, 634 (Pa. 2017).
The resulting actions of the police “must be independent from the detection,
investigation, and acquisition of criminal evidence” and “must be tailored to
rendering assistance or mitigating the peril.” Id. at 635. However, as the
standard is an objective one, “a coinciding subjective law enforcement concern
by the officer will not negate the validity of that search under the public
servant exception to the community caretaking doctrine.” Id. at 637. The
reasonableness inquiry must allow “for the fact that police officers are often
forced to make split-second judgments—in circumstances that are tense,
uncertain, and rapidly evolving,” and take into consideration “that a
combination of events each of which is mundane when viewed in isolation may
paint an alarming picture.” Commonwealth v. Coughlin, --- A.3d ----, 2018
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PA Super 304, at 4 (Nov. 14, 2018) (en banc) (quoting Commonwealth v.
Ford, 175 A.3d 985, 990 (Pa.Super. 2017), appeal denied, 190 A.3d 580 (Pa.
2018)).3
Here, Officer Fleagle testified that when he saw Robertson, who was
leaning back and motionless in his car at 3:45 a.m., he was concerned, based
on his 18 years’ experience as a police officer in Harrisburg, that Robertson
might be sick, might be dead, or might be under the influence of an intoxicant
that would prevent him from safely driving. N.T. (Suppression) at 11, 23-24.
We conclude that these are “specific, objective, and articulable facts that
would reasonably suggest to an experienced officer that a citizen is in need of
assistance.” Livingstone, 174 A.3d at 634–37. Accordingly, Officer Fleagle
pulled the police SUV alongside the car and shined a light inside. Under the
circumstances, we hold that this action was sufficiently tailored to further
investigate whether the occupants needed aid.
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3 As our Supreme Court acknowledged:
The modern police officer is a jack-of-all-emergencies, with
complex and multiple tasks to perform in addition to identifying
and apprehending persons committing serious criminal offenses;
by default or design he is also expected to aid individuals who are
in danger of physical harm, assist those who cannot care for
themselves, and provide other services on an emergency basis.
To require reasonable suspicion of criminal activity before police
can investigate and render assistance in these situations would
severely hamstring their ability to protect and serve the public.
Livingstone, 174 A.3d at 628-29 (quoting Williams v. State, 962 A.2d 210,
216 (Del. 2008)) (internal quotation marks omitted).
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Officer Fleagle testified that during the interaction that followed, while
he was shining the floodlight into the car, Robertson stared at him blankly,
with a “thousand-yard-stare,” did not lower his window, and did not answer
when Officer Fleagle asked if he was all right. N.T. (Suppression) at 11. Officer
Diaz also testified that Robertson and his passenger both had a “thousand-
yard stare,” and were “very slow with their movements.” Id. at 29. “[F]rom
the way [Robertson and the passenger] looked at [him],” Officer Diaz believed
the occupants to be intoxicated. Id. at 29, 43. These uncontradicted facts
reasonably suggested that the car’s occupants may have needed assistance
and that further investigation was warranted. Thus, the police parked their car
and attempted to further engage Robertson, to determine whether he and the
passenger were all right.
Although the trial court credited the officers’ testimony that their
investigation was motivated by the desire to check on the welfare of the car’s
occupants, see Trial Ct. Op. at 5, 9, the credibility of their subjective intent of
the officers is not relevant to the objective reasonableness query.
Livingstone, 174 A.3d at 637. Nor does the fact that the law enforcement
officers expressed a coinciding objective to search for signs of criminal activity
negate the reasonableness of their actions in this scenario. Id. Obviously,
rending assistance to a person incapacitated by drug use may result in the
discovery of evidence of crimes such as drug possession or driving under the
influence. That the police may discover such evidence in addition to offering
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assistance does not negate the obvious concern that a person debilitated by
drug use may need immediate medical attention.
Robertson does not contest that after the police officers parked, exited
their vehicle, and tapped on his window, the officers’ interactions did not
render the necessary reasonable suspicion or probable cause to support their
further detainment of Robertson. Thus, we affirm the trial court’s denial of
Robertson’s suppression motion.
II. Sufficiency
In his second issue, Robertson argues that the plastic bags containing
marijuana were insufficient evidence to support a conviction of possession of
drug paraphernalia. Robertson cites Commonwealth v. Miller, 130 A.3d 1
(Pa.Super. 2015), in which we held that the burnt paper wrapping of a single
joint of marijuana did not constitute paraphernalia. Robertson further argues
that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Robertson possessed the
digital scale found in his vehicle, which was observed in the common area of
the vehicle, between him and the passenger. Robertson states that his mere
knowledge of the presence of the contraband was insufficient to prove he
constructively possessed it. See Robertson’s Br. at 38-41.4
A challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence will not prevail when the
trial evidence, “and all reasonable inferences drawn from that evidence, when
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4 Robertson does not argue that the evidence was insufficient because the
officers did not introduce the scale as physical evidence at trial, or assert that
the scale did not qualify as paraphernalia under the statute.
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viewed in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth as verdict winner,
was sufficient to enable the fact finder to conclude that the Commonwealth
established all of the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Commonwealth v. Diamond, 83 A.3d 119, 126 (Pa. 2013) (quoting
Commonwealth v. Fears, 836 A.2d 52, 58-59 (Pa. 2003)). The
Commonwealth may sustain its burden to prove each element of the charged
offenses through the use of wholly circumstantial evidence. Id. (citation
omitted). “Because evidentiary sufficiency is a question of law, our standard
of review is de novo and our scope of review is plenary.” Id. (citation omitted).
We first address Robertson’s contention that two plastic bags containing
marijuana do not constitute drug paraphernalia under the statute. Robertson
was convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia under 35 P.S. § 780-
113(a)(32), which prohibits “[t]he use of, or possession with intent to use,
drug paraphernalia for the purpose of . . . packing, repacking, storing, [or]
containing . . . a controlled substance in violation of this act.” 35 P.S. § 780-
113(a)(32). “Drug paraphernalia” is defined by 35 P.S. § 780-102, as
all equipment, products and materials of any kind which are used,
intended for use or designed for use in . . . packaging,
repackaging, storing, [or] containing . . . a controlled substance
in violation of this act. It includes, but is not limited to:
...
(9) Capsules, balloons, envelopes and other containers
used, intended for use or designed for use in packaging
small quantities of controlled substances.
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(10) Containers and other objects used, intended for use or
designed for use in storing or concealing controlled
substances.
35 P.S. § 780-102.
Because the statute explicitly includes containers intended for use in
packaging and storing small quantities of controlled substances,5 we conclude
that the plastic bags containing Robertson’s marijuana were contemplated by
the statute’s definition of drug paraphernalia. We are unpersuaded that Miller
demands a different result, as that case confronted only the question of
whether the statute’s definition of drug paraphernalia included the burning
paper encasing a single joint. See Miller, 130 A.3d at 6. Moreover, precedent
has established that the storage containers of controlled substances, including
bags containing marijuana, constitute paraphernalia. See, e.g.,
Commonwealth v. Caban, 60 A.3d 120, 133 (Pa.Super. 2012) (finding
cellophane in which marijuana was wrapped constituted paraphernalia),
overruled on other grounds by In re L.J., 79 A.3d 1073 (Pa. 2013);
Commonwealth v. Coleman, 984 A.2d 998, 1002 (Pa.Super. 2009) (holding
glass vials and glassine baggie containing drugs and sock they were stored in
were paraphernalia); Commonwealth v. Pitner, 928 A.2d 1104, 1109
(Pa.Super. 2007) (holding bag containing marijuana qualified as
paraphernalia).
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5 Under Subsection (a)(31), a small amount of marijuana is less than 30
grams. See 35 P.S. § 780-113(a)(31).
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As we hold that the bags containing marijuana were sufficient evidence
of drug paraphernalia, we need not address Robertson’s argument that there
was insufficient evidence that he possessed the digital scale found in his car.
However, considering that the Commonwealth can prove that contraband was
both jointly and constructively possessed by showing that a defendant had
knowledge of the existence and location of contraband, see Commonwealth
v. Thompson, 428 A.2d 223, 224 (Pa.Super. 1981), and that “a jury need
not ignore presence, proximity and association” in determining whether the
defendant had knowledge of and power over the contraband found at the
scene, Commonwealth v. Vargas, 108 A.3d 858, 869 (Pa.Super. 2014) (en
banc) (citation omitted), we conclude that there was sufficient evidence that
Robertson constructively possessed the digital scale. Robertson’s mail was
scattered across the backseat of the vehicle, Robertson was driving the
vehicle, and Officer Diaz easily noticed the scale next to the stick shift.
Robertson’s challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence of possession of drug
paraphernalia are without merit.
III. Jury Instructions
In his final issue, Roberson argues that the trial court erred in refusing
to re-instruct the jury on the justification defense when it re-charged the jury
on the elements of the corresponding crime of fleeing and eluding. According
to Robertson, it was fundamentally unfair to explain the elements of the crime
without also explaining what negates those elements. Robertson also
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complains that the court erroneously believed it was not permitted to
reinstruct on a point that the jury did not specifically request.
We review the denial of a request to give a jury instruction for whether
the court abused its discretion or committed an error of law. See
Commonwealth v. Phillips, 946 A.2d 103, 110 (Pa.Super. 2008).
Robertson has set forth no authority establishing that the jury must be
reinstructed on the elements of a defense when it reinstructed on the elements
of the corresponding crime. And we are not persuaded that the result here
was fundamentally unfair, where the jury submitted a total of five questions
to the court, none of which displayed confusion regarding the court’s earlier
explanation of the justification defense.
We are instead guided by this Court’s decision in Commonwealth v.
Akers, 572 A.2d 746 (Pa.Super. 1990). In that case, during deliberations, the
jury requested that the trial court repeat the instructions regarding first and
second degree murder. Akers, 572 A.2d at 755. The trial court declined the
defendant’s request “to recharge the jury on all degrees of homicide.” Id. We
reiterated that a trial court “may properly confine supplemental instructions
to the particular question asked by the jury despite a defendant’s request for
additional instructions.” Id. (quoting Commonwealth v. Haddle, 413 A.2d
735, 738 (Pa.Super. 1979)). We held that there was “no abuse of discretion
in the trial court’s confining its supplemental instructions to the specific areas
of the jury’s inquiry.” Id. Here, the decision whether to reinstruct the jury on
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the defense of justification was within the purview of the trial court, and we
discern no abuse of discretion.
Having found no basis on which to provide relief, we affirm Robertson’s
judgment of sentence.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 02/05/2019
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