Com. v. Williams, T. ( 2019 )


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  • J-S41013-19
    
    2019 PA Super 301
    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA               :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    :        PENNSYLVANIA
    :
    v.                             :
    :
    :
    TIRRELL WILLIAMS                           :
    :
    Appellant               :   No. 544 MDA 2019
    Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered March 28, 2019
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County Criminal Division at
    No(s): CP-41-CR-0002010-2012
    BEFORE:      LAZARUS, J., MURRAY, J., and STRASSBURGER*, J.
    OPINION BY LAZARUS, J.:                                FILED OCTOBER 08, 2019
    Tirrell Williams appeals pro se1 from the trial court’s order dismissing
    his petition filed pursuant to the Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA), 42 Pa.C.S.
    §§ 9541-9546. After careful review, we affirm.
    In November 2012, Williams was charged with robbery, conspiracy,
    theft by unlawful taking, and simple assault.          After a jury trial, he was
    convicted of one count each of robbery2 (threatens/fear of immediate serious
    ____________________________________________
    1The trial court granted court-appointed PCRA counsel’s petition to withdraw,
    pursuant to Commonwealth v. Turner, 
    544 A.2d 927
     (Pa. 1988) and
    Commonwealth v. Finley, 
    550 A.2d 213
     (Pa. Super. 1988), on October 6,
    2017.
    2   18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701(a)(1)(ii) (first-degree felony).
    ____________________________________
    * Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
    J-S41013-19
    bodily injury), robbery (inflicts bodily injury),3 theft by unlawful taking,4 and
    simple assault.5 The trial court set forth the following factual and procedural
    history of this case as follows:
    On the night of January 5, 2012, Michael Stewart (Stewart) met
    Amy Baird (Baird) at a bar, where Stewart had two pitchers of
    beer and Baird had more than three drinks. After spending some
    time at the bar, Stewart and Baird went to Baird’s house. At the
    house, Baird told Stewart that she wanted marijuana, and Stewart
    gave Baird money to pay for marijuana. Baird used Stewart’s
    phone to order marijuana. An individual, who was not [Williams],
    came to Baird’s house and sold Baird a bag of drugs. About
    thirteen minutes later, Baird and Stewart realized that the bag
    contained a drug that was not marijuana. Baird again used
    Stewart’s phone to call the individual who had originally delivered
    the drugs. Baird asked the individual to come back to the house
    with marijuana. When the individual came back, he was with
    [Williams] and two other people. The individual, [Williams], and
    the two other people will be referred to as the group.
    Baird testified that she and [Williams] went to the upstairs of the
    house. A short time later, they returned downstairs, where they
    saw the three others in the group and Stewart in the kitchen.
    Baird testified that she again went upstairs, this time alone. Baird
    testified that while she was upstairs, she heard a commotion
    downstairs. Therefore, she went downstairs, where she saw the
    group stomping and punching Stewart, while he was on the
    kitchen floor. As mentioned above, the group included [Williams].
    Stewart testified that the group surrounded him while he was in
    the kitchen cleaning up hot oil. He testified that while he was
    talking with one member of the group, another member would
    start talking to him. Stewart testified that he was talking to
    [Williams] when he heard another member of the group say, “Yo
    partner, let me talk to you.” Stewart testified that he turned to
    talk to the member who made the “partner” comment and was
    ____________________________________________
    3   18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701(a)(1)(iv) (second-degree felony).
    4   18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3921(a).
    5   18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2701(a)(1).
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    then struck in the back of the head by [Williams]. Stewart
    testified that the group beat him and punched him. One member
    of the group hit him in the head with a glass bottle, which caused
    him to fall to the floor. Stewart testified that he did not know
    which member hit him with the bottle. Stewart testified that while
    he was on the floor, the group kicked him and stomped him all
    over his body. Stewart testified that he rolled up into the fetal
    position to protect himself.
    Stewart testified that[,] while he was on the floor, one member of
    the group said, “Stand this [MF] up, so I can shoot him.” Stewart
    did not know which member said this, but he felt the members
    trying to grab his arms to stand him up. Stewart testified that he
    did not let the group stand him up because he was scared that he
    would be shot and killed. Stewart testified that one member of
    the group poured hot oil on him. Stewart testified that he did not
    know which member poured the oil on him. After feeling the hot
    oil, Stewart got up and ran into the living room.
    Stewart testified that[,] while he was on the floor, he could feel
    members of the group going through the pockets of his pants. He
    testified that[,] before the incident, he had his wallet and cell
    phone in his pockets. Stewart testified that after the incident, he
    no longer had his wallet and cell phone.
    After the incident, Baird called [the] police. Officer Mark Lindauer
    (Lindauer) of the Williamsport Bureau of Police responded to the
    call. Lindauer noticed that there was grease and broken glass on
    the kitchen floor.
    Stewart was taken to the hospital by ambulance. As a result of
    the incident, he had a one[-]inch laceration on his head and a
    headache for three to four days. In addition, he was bruised and
    stiff for a week.
    On October 24, 2013, a jury found [Williams] guilty of [c]ount 1
    [([r]obbery)] (threaten another with or intentionally put another
    in fear of immediate serious bodily injury), [c]ount 3 [([r]obbery)]
    (inflicting bodily injury), [t]heft by [u]lawful [t]aking, and [s]imple
    [a]ssault. On March 27, 2014, this [c]ourt sentenced [Williams]
    to a minimum of six years and a maximum of twelve years in a
    state correctional institution. The [c]ourt also sentenced
    [Williams] to eight years of supervision under the Pennsylvania
    Board of Probation and Parole[,] to run consecutively to the prison
    term.
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    Trial Court Opinion on Post-Sentence Motions, 7/28/14, at 1-3 (footnotes
    omitted).
    Williams filed post-sentence motions that were denied. He filed a direct
    appeal   and   our    Court   affirmed   Williams’   judgment     of   sentence.
    Commonwealth v. Williams, No. 1434 MDA 2014 (Pa. Super. filed March
    20, 2015) (unpublished memorandum). On April 15, 2016, Williams filed a
    pro se PCRA petition; counsel was appointed and filed a petition to withdraw
    pursuant to Turner/Finley. After an independent review of the record and a
    conference, the court denied the petition and granted counsel’s petition to
    withdraw.   Williams filed a collateral appeal; our Court vacated the PCRA
    court’s order finding that the court failed to give Williams notice of its intent
    to dismiss his PCRA petition pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 907.             Our Court
    remanded the matter to the trial court and “direct[ed] the PCRA court to serve
    a new Rule 907 notice on [Williams], and permit him 20 days to respond,
    raising any challenges to PCRA counsel’s Turner/Finley, claims of PCRA
    counsel’s ineffectiveness, and/or arguments regarding the merits of his
    underlying issues.” Commonwealth v. Williams, No. 431 MDA 2018, at 7-
    8 (Pa. Super. filed Oct. 16, 2018) (unpublished memorandum).
    On November 2, 2018, the court issued Rule 907 notice to Williams;
    counsel filed another motion to withdraw.        On March 6, 2019, Williams
    received another Rule 907 notice to which he filed a response. On March 28,
    2019, the PCRA court dismissed Williams’ petition.       Williams filed a timely
    notice of appeal and court-ordered Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) concise statement of
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    errors complained of on appeal. On appeal, Williams presents the following
    issues for our consideration:
    (1)      Did the PCRA [c]ourt and [c]ounsel commit an error as a
    matter of law, wherein they claimed that [Williams’]
    following issues did not contain any merit
    (a)     Trial counsel’s    failure   to   file   a   [m]otion   to
    [s]uppress[;]
    (b)     Trial counsel’s failure to object and move for a new
    jury pool[;]
    (c)     Trial counsel’s failure to present evidence of
    [p]olice[]reports and other prior testimonies [sic] at
    trial[;]
    (d)     Trial   counsel’s      failure to question    the
    Commonwealth’s witnesses about the possibility of
    leniency at trial[;] and
    (e)     Trial counsel’s failure to present the proper insufficient
    evidence claim or challenge all [of Williams’]
    convictions on direct appeal.
    Appellant’s Brief, at 5 (emphasis deleted).
    The standard of review of an order dismissing a PCRA petition is whether
    that determination is supported by the evidence of record and is free of legal
    error. Commonwealth v. Johnston, 
    42 A.3d 1120
    , 1126 (Pa. Super. 2012).
    The PCRA court’s findings will not be disturbed unless there is no support for
    the findings in the certified record. 
    Id.
    We first address a procedural issue, namely waiver, concerning this
    appeal. Pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b)(4)(ii):
    [An appellant’s Rule 1925(b)] Statement shall concisely identify
    each error that the appellant intends to assert with sufficient
    detail to identify the issue to be raised for the judge. The
    judge shall not require the citation to authorities or the record;
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    however, appellant may choose to include pertinent authorities
    and record citations in the Statement.
    Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b)(4)(ii) (emphasis added). Williams’ Rule 1925(b) statement
    sets forth, in relevant part, the following issues:    (1) “Counsel’s failure to
    present witnesses’ police reports at tr[ia]l” [; and] (2) “Counsel’s failure to
    question [C]ommonwealth’s witnesses about leniency.”           Pa.R.A.P 1925(b)
    Concise Statement of Matters Complained of on Appeal, 4/25/19. The trial
    court has not addressed the police report issue in its Rule 1925(a) opinion due
    to the vagueness of Williams’ concise statement6. Thus, we find it waived.
    Moreover, Williams’ issue regarding failure to question witnesses about
    leniency similarly fails where it does not identify exactly which witnesses he is
    referencing. The trial court only addresses the issue as it relates to witness
    Baird; thus we find only that portion of the issue preserved for appeal
    purposes.7
    ____________________________________________
    6 The trial court has indicated that it is relying upon the opinion it authored in
    dismissing Williams’ PCRA petition for purposes of this collateral appeal. See
    Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a)(1) (“[T]he judge who entered the order giving rise to the
    notice of appeal, if the reasons for the order do not already appear of record,
    shall within the period set forth in Pa.R.A.P. 1931(a)(1) file of record at least
    a brief opinion of the reasons for the order, or for the rulings or other errors
    complained of, or shall specify in writing the place in the record where such
    reasons may be found.”).
    7 Williams also argues in his appellate brief that “counsel did not attempt to
    question Mr. Stewart . . . in front of the fact finders, about not being charged
    with the drugs [he] admitted to buying and if that was [his] motivation for
    testifying[.]” Appellant’s Brief, at 35. Because Williams’ Rule 1925(b)
    statement is vague on this issue, we also find it waived.
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    We now turn to the merits of Williams’ preserved claims. Because each
    of his claims involves the ineffective assistance of counsel, we note that to
    succeed on such a claim, Williams must demonstrate by a preponderance of
    the evidence that:
    (1) [the] underlying claim is of arguable merit; (2) the particular
    course of conduct pursued by counsel did not have some
    reasonable basis designed to effectuate his interests; and (3) but
    for counsel’s ineffectiveness, there is a reasonable probability that
    the outcome of the proceedings would have been different.
    Commonwealth v. Ali, 
    10 A.3d 282
    , 291 (Pa. 2010).
    Williams first contends that counsel was ineffective for failing to move
    to suppress statements he made prior to being Mirandized.8 Specifically, he
    claims that he was subject to a custodial interrogation without first being
    advised of his right to remain silent or have counsel present during
    questioning.
    “It is the Commonwealth’s burden to establish whether [a defendant]
    knowingly and voluntarily waived his Miranda rights. In order to do so, the
    Commonwealth must demonstrate that the proper warnings were given, and
    that    the   accused    manifested     an     understanding   of   these   warnings.”
    Commonwealth v. Baez, 
    21 A.3d 1280
    , 1283 (Pa. 1998) (citation omitted).
    Police are required to read a suspect his Miranda warnings when he is in
    custody and subject to interrogation. Moreover, the “prosecution may not use
    statements, whether inculpatory or exculpatory, stemming from a custodial
    interrogation of a defendant unless it demonstrates that he was apprised of
    ____________________________________________
    8   See Miranda v. Arizona, 
    384 U.S. 436
     (1966).
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    his right against self-incrimination and his right to counsel. [I]n evaluating
    whether Miranda warnings were necessary, a court must consider the totality
    of the circumstances.” Commonwealth v. Gaul, 
    912 A.3d 252
    , 255 (Pa.
    2006) (citations and headnotes omitted).
    Instantly, Agent Trent Peacock, an agent with the Williamsport Bureau
    of Police, testified that on November 7, 2012, he questioned Williams
    regarding the robbery of the victim. Agent Peacock testified that before he
    conducted the interview, he advised Williams of his Miranda rights and that
    Williams waived them. N.T. Writ of Habeas Corpus Proceeding, 2/26/13, at
    20. In the statement he made to the agent, Williams admitted that: he was
    involved in the assault of Stewart; he threw the initial punch and kicked him;
    that his three associates also jumped in and participated in the assault; and
    no one took any of Stewart’s property. Id. at 20-21. Agent Peacock also
    testified that when he initially brought Williams in to talk to him about the
    robbery of which he was being accused, “[Williams] made statements to the
    effect that he never robbed anybody, that if he was going to rob someone it
    would be a bank, and [that the police] would never catch him because he
    would shoot it out.” N.T. Jury Trial, 10/24/13, at 121-22.
    After viewing the subject interaction between Williams and Agent
    Peacock, there is no question that Williams was in custody at the time of his
    interview. Williams was placed in a small room in the police station with the
    door closed, where he encountered the agent one-on-one. We also find that
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    the encounter rose to the level of an interrogation such that Miranda
    safeguards were implicated.
    Interrogation has been defined as “questioning initiated by law
    enforcement officials.” Commonwealth v. DeJesus, 
    787 A.2d 394
    , 401 (Pa.
    2001). The “functional equivalent” of interrogation includes “any words or
    actions on the part of the police . . . that the police should know are reasonably
    likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect.” 
    Id. at 402
    . Here,
    Agent Peacock specifically asked Williams “what happened that night,” and
    whether Williams “want[ed] to talk to [the agent]” about the case.            See
    Commonwealth Exhibit 11 (November 7, 2012 videotaped interview between
    Williams and Agent Peacock). This line of questioning certainly rises to the
    level of “interrogation,” where it was reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating
    response from Williams.
    The videotape of the interview shows that Williams was not in fact read
    his Miranda rights until after he told Agent Peacock that he was not involved
    in the subject robbery and after the agent asked Williams if the officers that
    brought him into the station for questioning had already advised him of his
    rights.   Accordingly, the prosecution was not permitted to use statements
    stemming from Agent Peacock’s custodial interrogation of Williams where he
    was not first Mirandized even where those statements were exculpatory.
    Gaul, supra; DeJesus, supra.
    Despite    Williams’   claim   that    “counsel’s   deficient   performance
    prejudice[d] [Williams where his] incriminating statement was used at trial
    -9-
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    against him [and] made the outcome of trial a foregone conclusion,”
    Appellant’s Brief at 46, we conclude that he is not entitled to relief on this
    claim. The fact that Williams’ initial exculpatory, non-Mirandized statement
    was admitted at trial was harmless error where it did not prejudice his case
    and   where   there     was   other    properly    admitted   inculpatory   evidence
    establishing his guilt in the crimes. In addition to Williams’ own admission of
    guilt following his waiver of his Miranda rights, the victim and witness
    testimony admitted at trial established Williams’ involvement in the incident
    beyond a reasonable doubt. See Commonwealth v. Fay, 
    344 A.2d 473
     (Pa.
    1975)   (failure   to   suppress      statements    not   reversible   error   where
    Commonwealth can establish beyond reasonable doubt error was harmless);
    see also Commonwealth v. Baez, 720 a.2d 711 (Pa. 1998) (same). Thus,
    we find this claim meritless.
    In his next issue, Williams contends that counsel was ineffective for
    failing to move for a new jury pool where prospective Juror #29 made a
    statement during jury selection “in [which she] announced to the jury pool
    that ‘she is familiar with the case, because [Williams] is incarcerated where
    her fiancé works as a prison guard and he comes home and tells her about
    [Williams’] case.” Appellant’s Brief, at 28. Williams asserts this statement
    was prejudicial and “contaminated” the jury pool. 
    Id.
    “The purpose of voir dire is to ensure the empanel[]ing of a fair and
    impartial jury capable of following the instructions of a trial court. Even
    exposure to outside information does not ineluctably mean that a jury is unfair
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    and partial.” Commonwealth v. Tedford, 
    960 A.2d 1
    , 20 (Pa. 2008). Here,
    the trial judge acknowledges that he took Juror #29 immediately back into his
    chambers following her statement made in open court during voir dire. Her
    in-court statement consisted of her acknowledging that she heard about
    Williams from a correctional officer at the prison. N.T. Potential Juror 29 Voir
    Dire, 10/2/13, at 2. While in the judge’s chambers, the Honorable Marc F.
    Lovecchio further discussed the import of the juror’s statement, asking the
    juror exactly from whom she heard about Williams and whether she could be
    fair and impartial in the instant case. Judge Lovecchio ultimately decided that
    Juror #29 should be excused from the jury pool; counsel did not object. Id.
    at 3-4. Because the juror’s brief statement in front of the jury was not so
    prejudicial as to render the jury incapable of remaining fair and impartial, we
    find no merit to this claim. Tedford, supra.
    Williams next contends that counsel was ineffective for failing to
    question Commonwealth witness, Amy Baird, regarding her bias in favor of
    the prosecution where she was on probation at the time of the alleged
    incident, had been granted work release from prison sixteen days before she
    testified against Williams, and had not been charged with drug possession
    charges in the instant case.9
    “[A] witness may be impeached on cross-examination to show the
    witness’ bias, dishonesty, or defects in h[er] ability to observe, remember or
    ____________________________________________
    9 Accordingly to President Judge Nancy L. Butts’ Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion,
    Baird had pled guilty to driving under the influence prior to Williams being
    charged in this matter. See Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) Opinion, 4/18/19, at 2.
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    recount the matter about which [s]he has testified.”      Commonwealth v.
    Gwaltney, 
    442 A.2d 236
    , 241 (Pa. 1982). “[W]henever a prosecution witness
    may be biased in favor of the prosecution because of outstanding criminal
    charges or because of any non-final criminal disposition against h[er] within
    the same jurisdiction, that possible bias, in fairness, must be made known to
    the jury.” Commonwealth v. Evans, 
    512 A.2d 626
    , 631 (Pa. 1986). Our
    Court has held that “[a]n order placing a criminal defendant on probation does
    not constitute a final disposition of a criminal case against him” as probation
    is a conditional order “placing the defendant under the supervision and control
    of the court . . . to be followed by a final judgment of discharge [] if the
    conditions of his probation are complied with [] or by a final judgment of
    sentence on his being brought before the court following a violation of the
    terms of his probation[.]” Commonwealth v. Buksa, 
    655 A.2d 576
    , 581
    (Pa. Super. 1995) (citation omitted).
    As Williams points out in his brief, witness Baird had already been
    convicted and was serving her sentence in Lycoming County at the time she
    testified against him at trial. Therefore, at the time she testified, Baird did
    not have “outstanding criminal charges” lodged against her. However, Baird
    was on work release at the time of trial. While the law clearly designates an
    order of probation as a “non-final criminal disposition,” we have found no
    authority in this Commonwealth holding the same with regard to work release.
    We conclude, however, that the two should be treated similarly.
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    J-S41013-19
    Work release is one of many county sentencing programs available as
    “Intermediate Punishment” under our Commonwealth’s administrative code.
    See Pa. Code § 451.124.10 In Commonwealth v. Melius, 
    100 A.3d 682
     (Pa.
    Super. 2014), our Court noted that:
    [T]he intent of the legislature in adopting county intermediate
    punishment programs was to give trial courts another sentencing
    option that would lie between probation and incarceration with
    respect to sentencing severity; to provide a more appropriate
    form of punishment/treatment for certain types of nonviolent
    offenders; to make the offender more accountable to the
    community; and to help reduce the county jail overcrowding
    problem.     The revocation of a county intermediate
    punishment sentence is equivalent to the revocation of
    probation.
    Id. at 685 (citation omitted) (emphasis added).              Because a county
    intermediate punishment such as work release has the same potential to be
    revoked as a sentence of probation, we hold that an order of work release is
    a “non-final criminal disposition” for purposes of cross-examining a witness
    for possible bias. Accordingly, having determined that there was a non-final
    criminal disposition in Lycoming County against Baird at the time she testified
    at Williams’ trial, it was error for counsel to fail to make the jury aware of any
    possible prosecution bias she may have had; counsel should have “explore[d
    her] motive and potential bias.” Buska, 
    655 A.2d at 581
    . Despite reaching
    this conclusion, we recognize that a new trial is only required under the
    ____________________________________________
    10 Section 9721 of the Sentencing Code provides trial courts with seven
    alternative forms of criminal sentences, which include: an order of probation;
    a determination of guilt without further penalty; partial confinement; total
    confinement; a fine; county intermediate punishment; and state intermediate
    punishment. See 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9721(a).
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    circumstances if the error can be shown to have had an impact on the outcome
    of Williams’ case.    Id. at 581 (citation omitted); Ali, supra (to prove
    ineffectiveness of counsel, appellant must show reasonable probability that
    outcome of the proceedings would have been different).
    Instantly, Baird testified that after she and the victim met at a bar, they
    went back to her house to complete a marijuana purchase. Baird called an
    individual named “Rich” to come to her house and he brought three other men
    with him, one of whom was Williams.           While Baird was upstairs in the
    bathroom, she heard a commotion downstairs.              Upon descending the
    staircase, Baird saw the victim, lying on the floor, being kicked and punched
    by the four men who were “all huddled around [the victim].”           N.T. Trial,
    9/24/13, at 102. While Williams was one of the four men present in the home
    besides Baird and the victim, Baird testified that she never saw Williams throw
    the initial punch or specifically kick the victim. Id. at 104.
    In addition to Baird, the victim also testified that Williams struck him in
    the back of the head, id. at 44, and that the perpetrators “proceeded to beat
    [him] and punch [him] and kick [him] and [break] a bottle upside [his] head.”
    Id.   During the assault, the victim testified that “they were going through
    [his] pockets and everything,” id. at 45, and took his wallet and cell phone.
    Agent Peacock testified that Williams admitted to him that he had participated
    in the assault on the victim, in connection with a drug deal, and that he did
    so to take [drugs] back.” Id. at 127-29. Williams, however, denied having
    stolen the victim’s wallet or cell phone. Id. at 129.
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    Because Williams, himself, admitted to having assaulted the victim and
    because Baird testified that she did not see Williams throw the first punch or
    specifically kick and strike the victim, we do not find that counsel’s error had
    an impact on the outcome of the case. While the jury may have been entitled
    to know that Baird was on house arrest for an unrelated conviction at the time
    of Williams’ trial, any perceived bias for the prosecution would be unlikely
    where Baird’s own testimony was less damning than the defendant’s own
    admissions. Evans, supra. Thus, the error was harmless and this claim has
    no merit.
    In his final issue on appeal, Williams contends that counsel was
    ineffective for failing to challenge, on sufficiency of the evidence grounds, all
    of his convictions on direct appeal.
    On his unsuccessful direct appeal to this Court, appellate counsel
    challenged the sufficiency of the evidence11 to support Williams’ conviction for
    robbery, pursuant to section 3701(a)(1)(ii),12 a first-degree felony.        See
    Commonwealth v. Williams, No. 1434 MDA 2014, (Pa. Super. filed March
    20, 2015) (unpublished memorandum). Thus, we will confine our review to
    Williams’ remaining convictions – robbery (inflicts bodily injury), theft by
    unlawful taking and simple assault.
    ____________________________________________
    11 Counsel also challenged the weight of the evidence, as an alternative
    theory, for his section 3701(a)(1)(ii) conviction.
    12Under section 3701(a)(1)(ii), “[a] person is guilty of robbery if, in the course
    of committing a theft, he threatens another with or intentionally puts him in
    fear of immediate serious bodily injury.” 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3701(a)(1)(ii).
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    Williams makes a similar argument to the one he made on direct appeal,
    that the Commonwealth failed to present sufficient evidence to prove that he
    committed or attempted to commit a theft. Specifically, he claims that “the
    jury was left to guess which inferences it will adopt” where the victim never
    testified he saw Williams rifle through his pockets and take his personal
    belongings or physically assault him save for the first punch. Appellant’s Brief,
    at 10. We disagree.
    The victim’s testimony bears out that Williams struck the victim in the
    head and that immediately following that initial punch, the group (including
    Williams) surrounded the victim and collectively kicked and stomped on him
    until he fell into a fetal position. While on the ground, some members of the
    group went through the victim’s pockets, while others continued to strike and
    kick him, ultimately pouring hot cooking oil on him. As our Court determined
    on direct appeal:
    [The victim’s] testimony . . . by itself constituted sufficient
    evidence to establish that the group committed a theft and that
    Williams and/or his cohort (with Williams’ complicity and general
    participation) put Stewart in fear of immediate serious bodily
    injury.[13]
    Id. at 13. Based on the trial testimony, we agree that a jury could conclude
    beyond a reasonable doubt that Williams was an active and willing participant
    ____________________________________________
    13 Under section 3701(a)(1)(iv), “[a] person is guilty of robbery if, in the
    course of committing a theft, he . . . inflicts bodily injury upon another or
    threatens another with or intentionally puts him in fear of immediate bodily
    injury.” 18 Pa.C.S. § 3701(a)(1)(iv) (emphasis added).
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    in events constituting robbery under section 3701(a)(1)(iv) and theft by
    unlawful taking.14
    Finally, Williams, himself, concedes in his appellate brief that he was
    guilty of simple assault. See Appellant’s Brief, at 12 (“[t]he first . . . initial
    punch and kicks . . . constitutes simple assault.”); Id. at 19 (“Taking an
    [o]ffense-specific analysis/[f]ocused examination test of this case at hand, no
    competent judge or jury would have found appellant guilty of anything other
    than the simple assault.”). Thus, we find this issue meritless.
    Order affirmed.
    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 10/8/2019
    ____________________________________________
    14“A person is guilty of theft if he unlawfully takes, or exercises unlawful
    control over, movable property of another with intent to deprive him thereof.”
    18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3921(a).
    - 17 -
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 544 MDA 2019

Filed Date: 10/8/2019

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/8/2019