CRIMINAL LAW UPDATE (Author: Stuart Suss) Berks County Bench Bar Conference (August 25, 2021) (includes cases through August 13, 2021) Table of Contents ACCESS DEVICE FRAUD .............................................................................................. 1 ALIBI ............................................................................................................................... 2 ARREST .......................................................................................................................... 3 Is it a stop/seizure or only a mere encounter? ...................................................... 3 Was there sufficient justification for the stop? ...................................................... 6 Domestic violence cases .................................................................................... 11 Was the stop unduly prolonged? ........................................................................ 12 Entry into home .................................................................................................. 19 Warrantless arrest .............................................................................................. 20 ASSAULT ...................................................................................................................... 20 ATTORNEY ................................................................................................................... 21 CAUTIONARY INSTRUCTION ..................................................................................... 23 COMPULSORY JOINDER, SECTION 110, CAMPANA ................................................ 24 CONFESSIONS ............................................................................................................ 27 CONSPIRACY .............................................................................................................. 27 CORRUPTION OF MINORS ......................................................................................... 29 DISCOVERY ................................................................................................................. 29 DISORDERLY CONDUCT ............................................................................................ 31 DOUBLE JEOPARDY ................................................................................................... 34 DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE ............................................................................ 35 EX POST FACTO.......................................................................................................... 39 EVIDENCE .................................................................................................................... 40 After-discovered ................................................................................................. 40 Character ............................................................................................................ 41 Frye .................................................................................................................... 41 Inflammatory ....................................................................................................... 42 FIREARMS .................................................................................................................... 42 FRUIT OF THE POISONOUS TREE ............................................................................ 43 HABEAS CORPUS ....................................................................................................... 45 HEARSAY ..................................................................................................................... 46 Declarations by homicide victim ......................................................................... 46 Excited utterance ................................................................................................ 51 Is it hearsay? ...................................................................................................... 51 INEFFECTIVENESS: STANDARD OF REVIEW .......................................................... 52 INTERFERENCE WITH CUSTODY OF CHILD ............................................................ 55 JUDGE .......................................................................................................................... 56 Bench trial........................................................................................................... 56 Dismissal of charges as sanction against Commonwealth’s attorney ................. 56 i JURY ............................................................................................................................. 58 Charge ................................................................................................................ 58 Deliberations....................................................................................................... 59 External contact or influences ............................................................................. 60 Selection ............................................................................................................. 60 Inconsistent Verdicts .......................................................................................... 61 JUVENILE ..................................................................................................................... 64 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ................................................................................................ 64 PCRA ............................................................................................................................ 65 Newly-discovered facts ....................................................................................... 65 PLEA AGREEMENTS ................................................................................................... 69 POSSESSION ............................................................................................................... 69 PRELIMINARY HEARING ............................................................................................. 71 PRIOR CRIMES ............................................................................................................ 72 PRIVATE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT ............................................................................... 77 PRIVILEGES ................................................................................................................. 79 PROBABLE CAUSE ...................................................................................................... 81 Anonymous tip .................................................................................................... 81 Conduct .............................................................................................................. 82 Probable Cause/Reasonable Suspicion: Definition ............................................ 83 RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ................................................................................... 84 RESISTING ARREST ................................................................................................... 85 RULE 600 ...................................................................................................................... 85 SEARCH AND SEIZURE .............................................................................................. 89 Breath/Blood ....................................................................................................... 89 Consent .............................................................................................................. 90 Exigent circumstances ........................................................................................ 90 Knock and announce .......................................................................................... 94 Plain view, plain smell ........................................................................................ 98 Vehicle .............................................................................................................. 102 Warrant ............................................................................................................. 103 ii SENTENCE ................................................................................................................. 107 Ability to pay ..................................................................................................... 107 Claim of excessive sentence ............................................................................ 107 Collateral consequences .................................................................................. 110 Court costs ....................................................................................................... 110 Equivalent offense ............................................................................................ 111 Guidelines ........................................................................................................ 111 Juvenile murderers ........................................................................................... 112 Legislation and guidelines amendments ........................................................... 114 Merger .............................................................................................................. 115 Inchoate offenses............................................................................................. 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