Com. v. Harris, G. ( 2020 )

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NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION – SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA, : PENNSYLVANIA
:
Appellee :
:
v. :
:
GARY HARRIS, :
:
Appellant : No. 65 EDA 2019
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered December 19, 2018
in the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County
Criminal Division at No(s): CP-23-CR-0000195-2018
BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J.E., MURRAY, J. and STRASSBURGER, J.*
MEMORANDUM BY STRASSBURGER, J.: FILED JANUARY 31, 2020
Gary Harris (Appellant) appeals from the December 19, 2018
judgment of sentence entered after a jury found him guilty of possession of
a firearm, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, and
possession with intent to deliver (PWID) cocaine. Upon review, we affirm.
We provide the following background. In September 2017, Officer
Timothy Garron of the City of Chester Police Department was called to
Clover Lane in the City of Chester to aid in the investigation of a suspicious
black sedan. Police discovered “packaged cocaine for street sales,” “a
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* Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
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loaded firearm,” and identification for Appellant in the vehicle. N.T.,
10/11/2018,1 at 62.
Subsequently, Officer Garron learned through a confidential informant
that a person known as “D”2 was utilizing 1217 Clover Lane to sell narcotics.
Officer Garron began surveilling that block. Around 1217 Clover Lane,
Officer Garron saw “foot and vehicular traffic” consistent with drug activity,
and “a gentleman matching the description of [Appellant] exiting the house
and meeting with … buyers.” Id. at 70-71. Officer Garron identified D as
Appellant. Id. at 73. This house became a target of the investigation, and
police conducted both undercover and controlled buys, as well as additional
surveillance, in order to obtain a search warrant. In addition, a Pontiac
Bonneville registered to Appellant was seen in this area.
A search warrant was obtained for 1217 Clover Lane. A team of
officers executed the warrant on December 5, 2017. Upon entering the
residence, Officer John Benozich saw Appellant, who then ran up the stairs.
Officer Benozich chased Appellant up the stairs and into a bedroom where
Danielle Jones and four children under the age of four were located. Officer
Benozich saw Appellant throw two items. Id. at 197. Those items were
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1 In the certified record, this transcript has a date of November 11, 2018.
However, it is evident this transcript is from October 11, 2018, and we will
use that date throughout this memorandum.
2D was described as a skinny black male, between 5’10” and 6’0” tall, with a
beard.
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later identified as baggies with bulk crack cocaine. Id. at 197. Meanwhile,
upon entering the residence, Officer Garron “went to the left and was met by
Quashay” Jones. Id. Officer Garron detained Quashay Jones for the
officer’s safety.
Shortly thereafter, Donte Harris entered the residence inquiring about
the children.3 He was also detained and handcuffed.4 After all four adults
were detained, they were given their Miranda5 warnings. Id. at 86-87.
During the search of the house, police found “six grams of crack
cocaine packaging,” Appellant’s cell phone, and “his AC[C]ESS card or debit
card.” Id. at 95. On top of a kitchen cabinet, police found a “Glock 19 with
an extended magazine that contained 32 live rounds of ammunition.” Id. In
the basement, there were three digital scales and “another 9 millimeter
firearm with an obliterated serial number.” Id. As a result of this search,
Officer Garron arrested Appellant. Police did not arrest Donte Harris,
Quashay Jones, or Danielle Jones in connection with this search.
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3 Officer Garron described Donte Harris as being 5’6” to 5’8” tall with
dreadlocks and no facial hair. N.T., 10/11/2018, at 87.
4 Throughout the case, it was Appellant’s position that “D” was actually
Donte Harris, not Appellant. Thus, it was Appellant’s argument to the jury
that police should have arrested and charged Donte Harris with these
crimes. See N.T., 10/11/2018, at 40-46 (Appellant’s opening statement);
N.T., 10/12/2018, at 14-18 (Appellant’s closing argument).
5 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966).
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On February 7, 2018, a criminal information was filed against
Appellant, charging him with the aforementioned crimes, based upon the
items found pursuant to the search warrant. A jury trial occurred from
October 10-12, 2018. On October 12, 2018, the jury found Appellant guilty
of the aforementioned charges. On December 19, 2018, the trial court
sentenced Appellant to an aggregate term of 96 to 192 months of
incarceration. Appellant did not file a post-sentence motion, and he filed a
timely notice of appeal on December 31, 2018. Both Appellant and the trial
court complied with Pa.R.A.P. 1925.
On appeal, Appellant challenges several evidentiary rulings by the trial
court, which we consider mindful of the following.
The admission of evidence is committed to the sound discretion
of the trial court, and a trial court’s ruling regarding the
admission of evidence will not be disturbed on appeal unless that
ruling reflects manifest unreasonableness, or partiality,
prejudice, bias, or ill-will, or such lack of support to be clearly
erroneous.
Commonwealth v. Akrie, 159 A.3d 982, 986-87 (Pa. Super. 2017) (citing
Commonwealth v. Ivy, 146 A.3d 241, 250 (Pa. Super. 2016)).
We begin with Appellant’s contentions related to the trial court’s ruling
on Appellant’s written motion in limine. See Appellant’s Brief at 16-18. In
doing so, we point out that “[w]hen ruling on a trial court’s decision to grant
or deny a motion in limine, we apply an evidentiary abuse of discretion
standard of review.” Commonwealth v. Hutchison, 164 A.3d 494, 500
(Pa. Super. 2017).
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By way of background, on September 22, 2018, Appellant filed a
motion in limine on two bases. First, Appellant requested the trial court
prohibit the Commonwealth from introducing evidence that other “individuals
in the home were screaming in the direction of [Appellant]” after all four
adults were detained. Motion In Limine, 9/22/2018, at ¶ 4 (internal
quotation marks omitted). Second, Appellant requested the trial court
prohibit “statements from an individual identified as Donte Harris.” Id. at
¶ 7.
The trial court considered this motion immediately prior to trial on
October 11, 2018. At that time Appellant argued that “anything [the other
individuals were] screaming at [Appellant] … is hearsay.” N.T., 10/11/2018,
at 6. The trial court stated that police may testify that these individuals
were screaming, but it was unclear as to what exactly “the officer will say as
to what he can identify he actually heard.” Id. at 11. The trial court pointed
out that any actual words “may or may not be admissible.” Id. Thus, the
trial court reserved judgment on this portion of the motion. Id. Appellant
also argued that the trial court should not permit police officers to testify
that Donte Harris said, “I don’t live here” when he entered the house. Id.
The trial court denied that portion of the motion. Id. at 10.
During trial, the Commonwealth asked Officer Benozich how the “other
two females” reacted to their being detained. Id. at 210. Officer Benozich
responded that “[t]hey were very emotional about items being located in the
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house and immediately started directing, screaming and yelling at the
direction of [Appellant].” Id. at 211. Appellant did not renew his objection at
that time.
On appeal, Appellant contends “this testimony should have been
stricken.” Appellant’s Brief at 18. Despite the fact the trial court specifically
deferred its ruling on this portion of the motion in limine, Appellant neither
objected to this testimony nor asked for this testimony to be stricken. Thus,
even if this statement were objectionable, Appellant has waived any
challenge to this testimony by failing to object. See Commonwealth v.
Duffy, 832 A.2d 1132, 1136 (Pa. Super. 2003) (stating that a party must
make a timely and specific objection to preserve an issue for appellate
review). Accordingly, Appellant is not entitled to relief on this issue.
With respect to Donte Harris’s statement, at trial, Officer Garron
testified that immediately upon entering the 1217 Clover Lane, Donte Harris
exclaimed, “I don’t … even live here.” N.T., 10/11/2018, at 88. Even though
the trial court had just denied this portion of the motion in limine, Appellant
again objected to this statement as hearsay. Id. The trial court then
reversed course and sustained the objection. Id. The Commonwealth then
asked, “Were you able to determine whether Donte Harris lived there?” Id.
at 89. Officer Garron responded that Donte Harris “provided an address in
North Carolina.” Id.
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“[W]here the trial court has sustained the objection, even where a
defendant objects to specific conduct, the failure to request a remedy such
as a mistrial or curative instruction is sufficient to constitute waiver.”
Commonwealth v. Manley, 985 A.2d 256, 267 (Pa. Super. 2009). Here,
Appellant did not request either a mistrial or a curative instruction after the
trial court sustained his objection; thus, he has waived any potential error
related to this testimony.
We now consider Appellant’s contention that the trial court erred by
permitting testimony about “specific violent crimes in the area of the arrest
that were not alleged to have been committed by Appellant, on the day of
arrest, or even at the location of the arrest.” Appellant’s Brief at 23.
Similarly, we consider Appellant’s argument that the trial court erred by
permitting testimony “concerning an irrelevant and highly prejudicial police
report of a separate incident involving Appellant for which no charges were
filed, no arrests were made and no criminal proceedings ever commenced.”
Appellant’s Brief at 26. For both issues, Appellant cites to the same
testimony at trial. Id. at 23-25 (citing N.T., 10/11/2018, at 62) and id. at
26-27 (citing N.T., 10/11/2018, at 62).
By way of background, prior to trial, Appellant made an oral motion in
limine requesting the trial court not permit the Commonwealth to introduce
an incident report from September 15, 2017, regarding a shooting at 1217
Clover Lane. N.T., 10/11/2018, at 12. The Commonwealth responded that
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it intended to offer this information, as well as other information about
violence in the Clover Lane area, as part of the history of the case. Id. at
13. At that point, the trial court overruled the objection, and told Appellant
to re-raise the objections during the course of trial. Id.
During Officer Garron’s testimony, the Commonwealth asked about the
“shootings … in the area of 12th and Clover.” N.T., 10/11/2018, at 62.
Appellant objected and requested a sidebar. Id. The Commonwealth
explained that it was going to ask questions about a shooting in the area “a
month before they began an investigation.” Id. at 63. The trial court
sustained the objection, and no questions about the shooting were asked.
Id.
On appeal, Appellant complains that he was prejudiced by this
testimony. Appellant’s Brief at 25, 27. However, the trial court sustained
Appellant’s objection, and the testimony about a shooting in the area was
not offered into evidence. Again, “where the trial court has sustained the
objection, even where a defendant objects to specific conduct, the failure to
request a remedy such as a mistrial or curative instruction is sufficient to
constitute waiver.” Manley, 985 A.2d at 267. Here, Appellant did not
request either a mistrial or a curative instruction; thus, he has waived any
error related to this issue.
Finally, we consider Appellant’s issue concerning whether the trial
court’s admitting testimony about Appellant’s decision to invoke his Miranda
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rights, its subsequent denial of a mistrial, and its decision to provide a
curative instruction, violated Appellant’s rights under the Fifth Amendment’s
privilege against self-incrimination. Appellant’s Brief at 18-23.
We provide the following background. At trial, the Commonwealth
asked Officer Garron why he Mirandized the four adults who were
handcuffed. N.T., 10/11/2018, at 90. Officer Garron responded as follows:
“We give every adult their [sic] Miranda warnings. It’s their [sic] rights. We
let them know, you have the right to remain silent. Some people invoke that
right. [Appellant] invoked that right. Others give up that right and they can
make statements if they want.”6 Id. Counsel for Appellant immediately
requested a sidebar.
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6 “[A] person must be informed of his or her Miranda rights prior to
custodial interrogation by police.” Commonwealth v. Bess, 789 A.2d 757,
762 (Pa. Super. 2002). “Interrogation means police questioning or conduct
calculated to, expected to, or likely to evoke an admission.” Id. (internal
quotation marks omitted). “Interrogation occurs when the police should
know that their words or actions are reasonably likely to elicit an
incriminating response, and the circumstances must reflect a measure of
compulsion above and beyond that inherent in custody itself.” Id.
Here, Appellant and the other adults were clearly in custody, having
been handcuffed for the protection of the officers; however, they were not
under arrest at this juncture. There is nothing in the record to indicate that
police were questioning or intended to question these adults. Thus,
Miranda warnings were not actually required at this point. Nevertheless,
because they were provided, and the jury was informed as such, we must
evaluate whether the subsequent reference to Appellant’s invocation of
these rights violated the Fifth Amendment. Moreover, in Pennsylvania, we
have concluded that “the timing of the silence, whether it be pre or post-
arrest, or pre or post-Miranda warnings, is not relevant to the question of
whether a prosecutor’s use of the silence as substantive evidence of guilt
(Footnote Continued Next Page)
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At sidebar, counsel requested a mistrial because Officer Garron
commented on Appellant’s Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. Id. The
trial court overruled the objection, stating that the testimony was not
grounds for a mistrial, and offered to provide a curative instruction
immediately or at a later date. Id. at 91. Counsel for Appellant declined the
trial court’s offer to provide a curative instruction, wishing to “call less
attention to this.” Id. at 92. The trial court did not provide a curative
instruction at that time. Nevertheless, over the objection of Appellant’s
counsel, the trial court concluded that it would indeed offer a cautionary
instruction as part of its jury charge. The trial court instructed the jury as
follows. “I want to also advise and to instruct that any Defendant, including
[Appellant], when detained by the police when entering a premise has a
constitutional right not to provide a statement. His silence at the scene is
not a suggestion of guilt nor a bad act in itself.” N.T., 10/12/2018, at 65-66.
On appeal, Appellant argues both that the underlying testimony was so
de minimis that the trial court should not have provided a curative
instruction, see Appellant’s Brief at 22-23, and that the underlying
testimony was so prejudicial that the trial court should have sustained the
objection and granted a mistrial, see id. at 18-21.
(Footnote Continued) _______________________
violates an individual’s right against self-incrimination.” Commonwealth v.
Molina, 104 A.3d 430, 449-50 (Pa. 2014) (Opinion Announcing Judgment of
the Court).
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Testimony about a defendant’s decision not to speak to authorities is
inherently prejudicial. “The view of [the Pennsylvania Supreme] Court that
there exists a strong disposition on the part of lay jurors to view the exercise
of the Fifth Amendment privilege as an admission of guilt is well
established.” Commonwealth v. Turner, 454 A.2d 537, 539 (Pa. 1982).
Our Supreme Court has stated that
[w]e would be naive if we failed to recognize that most laymen
view an assertion of the Fifth Amendment privilege as a badge of
guilt. It is clear that [t]he privilege against self-incrimination
would be reduced to a hollow mockery if its exercise could be
taken as equivalent either to a confession of guilt or a conclusive
presumption of perjury.
Commonwealth v. Haideman, 296 A.2d 765, 767 (Pa. 1972) (internal
quotation marks and citations omitted).
“The rule against reference to a defendant’s post-arrest silence clearly
relates to jurors’ inferences from such silence. The rationale is that jurors
expect an innocent person charged with a crime to deny guilt.”
Commonwealth v. Crews, 640 A.2d 395, 404-05 (Pa. 1994). In fact,
“[t]he prejudice to the defendant resulting from reference to his silence is
substantial.” Turner, 454 A.2d at 539.
Where, as here, “an improper reference to [a defendant’s] silence was
made, if we also conclude that it is clear that the error did not contribute to
the verdict, the error may be deemed harmless.” Commonwealth v.
Mitchell, 839 A.2d 202, 214-15 (Pa. 2003). Additionally, our courts have
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held that such error can be cured through curative instructions. See
Commonwealth v. DiNicola, 866 A.2d 329, 336-37 (Pa. 2005).
However, counsel for Appellant declined the trial court’s offer to
provide a curative instruction because counsel wished to call less attention
to the issue, but Appellant now claims on appeal he was prejudiced by
Officer Garron’s testimony. See Appellant’s Brief at 18-21. “When counsel
chooses to refuse appropriate curative instructions for this legitimate tactical
reason, the defense may not plead prejudice on appeal.” Commonwealth
v. Miller, 481 A.2d 1221, 1223 (Pa. Super. 1984); see also
Commonwealth v. Quartman, 385 A.2d 429, 432 (Pa. Super. 1978) (“In
every case, it is a tactical decision to be made by defense counsel, and the
rendering of an unfavorable verdict should not entitle a defendant, who did
not elect to protect himself to the maximum in his first trial, to an automatic
retrial.”). In other words, if we are to determine that a curative instruction
could allay the prejudice from Officer Garron’s testimony, Appellant may not
plead prejudice on appeal. Thus, we now determine whether a curative
instruction was adequate in this case.
[I]n Pennsylvania adequate instructions under some
circumstances may cure error of the nature here complained of.
Initially, whether the harm can be removed by curative
instructions will be within the sound discretion of the trial judge
and his determination will be subject to appellate review. In
making this decision, the following will be important
considerations but not necessarily exclusive: (1) the nature of
the reference, particularly, whether it was a specific comment on
the accused’s silence at trial or at the time of arrest or whether it
was … merely a reference to the fact that incriminating evidence
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of the Commonwealth was undenied or uncontradicted; and (2)
whether the accused’s silence was exploited by the district
attorney.
Commonwealth v. Maloney, 365 A.2d 1237, 1241 (Pa. 1976) (plurality).
In Maloney, a police officer testified that Maloney “refused to give a
statement.” Id. at 1239. Maloney’s counsel did not object. Shortly
thereafter, the Commonwealth asked the officer the following: “Now, you
advised the defendant of his constitutional rights and you took no statement
from him; is that correct?” Id. The officer responded in the affirmative, and
counsel for Maloney objected. The objection was sustained and counsel
moved for a mistrial. The trial court denied the mistrial, but granted the
request for a curative instruction. On appeal, Maloney contended that the
curative instruction could not cure the inherent prejudice of the question and
answer. In concluding the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying a
mistrial, our Supreme Court pointed out that
while the particular testimony of [the officer] constituted a
specific reference to silence at a time when Maloney had the
constitutional right to remain tight-lipped and this could have
caused an improper inference of guilt, this testimony was not
objected to. The district attorney’s follow-up question which
prompted the motion for a mistrial was not an exploitation of
Maloney’s silence, that is, it did not ask the jury to draw an
improper inference. Further, the court’s instructions were timely
and adequate.
Id. at 1241.
Furthermore, in Commonwealth v. Anderjack, 413 A.2d 693 (Pa.
Super. 1979), on cross-examination by Anderjack’s counsel, an officer
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testified that Anderjack refused to sign a waiver of rights form. Anderjack
objected and requested a mistrial. The trial court denied Anderjack’s motion
for a mistrial and offered a curative instruction. This Court pointed out that
in deciding whether a cautionary instruction was sufficient, we
must closely scrutinize the facts of the specific case, with
particular attention to the following: 1) the nature of the
reference to the defendant’s silence; 2) how it was elicited; 3)
whether the district attorney exploited it; and 4) the promptness
and adequacy of the cautionary instruction.
Id. at 698. In Anderjack, this Court considered the following: 1) testimony
that Anderjack refused to sign a waiver of rights form may only “indicate to
the jury that the defendant was uncooperative in some way;” 2) “[t]he
reference was not elicited by the district attorney or by the court but by
[Anderjack’s] counsel;” 3) there was a single reference that was not brought
up again by any party; and 4) “[t]he cautionary instruction was given
promptly, only minutes after the reference.” Id. at 699-700. In weighing
these factors, this Court concluded that the trial judge did not err in denying
Anderjack’s motion for a mistrial.
We also find instructive this Court’s decision in Commonwealth v.
Mays, 523 A.2d 357 (Pa. Super. 1987) (abrogated on other grounds). In
Mays, Mays and a cohort broke into the victim’s apartment, and Mays
subsequently ordered his cohort to shoot the victim. Mays was convicted of
second-degree murder and related charges. At trial, the Commonwealth
called the arresting officer to testify. “The officer … testified that [Mays]
refused to give a statement after being advised of his Miranda rights.” Id.
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at 358. The Commonwealth requested a sidebar, and “expressed surprise at
the officer’s remarks.” Id. The trial court struck the testimony from the
record and instructed the jury “to completely disregard whatever that
witness stated on the witness stand.” Id. at 359. On appeal, Mays argued
that his constitutional rights were violated by the officer’s reference to his
post-arrest silence. This Court considered the prejudicial nature of the
officer’s testimony, the Commonwealth’s surprise at the remarks, and the
fact that the Commonwealth did not exploit the situation, in concluding that
Mays was not prejudiced by this testimony.
With the foregoing in mind, we turn to the instant case, and begin with
“the nature of the reference to defendant’s silence.” Anderjack, 413 A.2d at
698. Here, the testimony was that Appellant invoked his Miranda rights.
As in Mays, this is a direct reference to Appellant’s exercise of his
constitutional right to remain silent at the time of his arrest, and is precisely
the type of testimony that is prohibited and deemed prejudicial.
Turning to “how [the testimony] was elicited,” we conclude that
although the Commonwealth was responsible for the testimony, as in Mays,
the testimony did come as a surprise. Anderjack, 413 A.2d at 698. While
the Assistant District Attorney is responsible for asking why the individuals
were Mirandized in the first place, Officer Garron volunteered this irrelevant
and prejudicial information.
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The third factor to consider is whether the Commonwealth exploited
the reference. It is clear that the Commonwealth did not. The record
shows, and Appellant does not dispute, that the Commonwealth did not
bring up this issue again at any point during the trial. Finally, we consider
the promptness of the curative instruction. As set forth supra, the trial court
was willing to give a curative instruction immediately, but Appellant
requested that the trial court not do so.
Based on the foregoing, we conclude that despite the fact that Officer
Garron directly commented on Appellant’s invocation of his right to remain
silent in response to a question from the Commonwealth, the trial court’s
offer of a curative instruction was sufficient to cure any prejudice in this
case. We observe that “[t]he trial court is in the best position to assess the
effect of an allegedly prejudicial statement on the jury.” Commonwealth v.
Simpson, 754 A.2d 1264, 1272 (Pa. 2000).
At the time of the prejudicial testimony, the trial judge commented, “I
think it just went right over [jurors’ heads.] I don’t think it has any meaning
whatsoever at this point in time[.]” N.T., 10/11/2018, at 92. Appellant
essentially agreed with this assessment. Id. Moreover, “[i]t is well settled
that juries are presumed to follow the instructions of a trial court to
disregard inadmissible evidence.” Simpson, 754 A.2d at 1272. Thus, we
conclude that this quick reference to Appellant’s invocation of his Fifth
Amendment right to remain silent is the type of comment that can be cured
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by a curative instruction. Therefore, the trial court did not err or abuse its
discretion by giving a curative instruction. See Maloney, supra;
Anderjack, supra; Mays, supra.
For all of the foregoing reasons, we affirm Appellant’s judgment of
sentence.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
Judge Murray joins in this memorandum.
PJE Gantman concurs in the result.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 1/31/20
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