Com. v. Blake, C. ( 2015 )

J-S62035-15
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA
Appellee
v.
CHRISTOPHER WALTON BLAKE
Appellant No. 657 WDA 2015
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence January 22, 2015
In the Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County
Criminal Division at No(s): CP-43-CR-0001506-2013
BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., JENKINS, J., and PLATT, J.*
MEMORANDUM BY GANTMAN, P.J.: FILED NOVEMBER 4, 2015
Appellant, Christopher Walton Blake, appeals from the judgment of
sentence entered in the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas, following his
jury trial convictions for two counts each of rape of a child, involuntary
deviate sexual intercourse (“IDSI”) with a child, aggravated indecent assault
of a child, unlawful contact with a minor (sexual offenses), unlawful contact
with a minor (obscene and other sexual materials), corruption of minors,
and indecent assault (victim less than 13 years of age).1 We affirm.
The trial court opinion set forth the relevant facts of this case as
follows:
____________________________________________
1
18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3121(c); 3123(b); 6318(a)(1); 6318(a)(4); 6301(a)(1);
3126(a)(7), respectively.
_____________________________
*Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
J-S62035-15
On September 17, 2014, a jury found [Appellant] guilty of
two (2) counts of each of the following: Rape of a Child,
[IDSI] with a child, Aggravated Indecent Assault of a child,
Unlawful Contract with a Minor—Sexual offenses, Unlawful
Contact with a Minor—Obscene and other explicit sexual
materials, Corruption of a Minor, and Indecent Assault.
The basis of these charges is that from approximately June
2008 to October 2009, [Appellant] performed numerous
sexual acts on two minor children who were under his care
at the time. These acts included [Appellant] penetrating
the child victims’ genitals and anuses (both with his penis
and digitally), [Appellant] performing oral sex on the
children, [Appellant] forcing the children to perform oral
sex on [Appellant], and [Appellant] showing the children
sexually explicit materials. The two children were
approximately 5 and 6 years old during this period.
Prior to sentencing, this [c]ourt ordered the Sexual
Offender’s Assessment Board (“SOAB”) to conduct an
assessment to determine if [Appellant] could be sentenced
as a Sexually Violent Predator (“SVP”). At the SVP
hearing, this [c]ourt found that the Commonwealth met its
burden of proving [Appellant] a SVP by clear and
convincing evidence. The [c]ourt sentenced [Appellant] to
a total of 67 to 134 years of incarceration the same day.[2]
The [c]ourt sentenced [Appellant] within the standard
range for each offense and ran consecutively the two
sentences each of Rape of a Child, [IDSI], and Aggravated
Indecent Assault of a child.1
1
The sentences for the remaining offenses were also
within the standard guidelines and ran concurrently
to the other sentences imposed.
Before and during trial, this [c]ourt denied several of
[Appellant’s] motions that formed the basis of his Post-
Sentence Motion. …
* * *
____________________________________________
2
The record makes clear the court did not impose any mandatory minimum
sentences for any of Appellant’s convictions.
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[A]t the initiation of trial, the [c]ourt overruled
[Appellant’s] objection to permitting the Commonwealth to
provide evidence of [Appellant’s] 2011 Theft by Unlawful
Taking conviction should [Appellant] testify at trial. The
[c]ourt overruled the objection because it found that the
conviction was per se admissible under Pa.R.E. 609(a)
because it was crimen falsi and was less than 10 years old.
Further, the [c]ourt took care to instruct the jury in this
case to consider the conviction solely for impeachment
purposes.
Finally, during the trial, this [c]ourt permitted the
Commonwealth to introduce expert testimony from
Kimberly Duffy, a Program Development Specialist within
the Department of Social Work at the University of
Pittsburgh.3 After a brief hearing regarding Ms. Duffy’s
qualifications, training, education, and experience, the
[c]ourt found that she was an expert with respect to
behavioral response patterns of child victims in sexual
assault cases. In so finding, the [c]ourt ruled that this
testimony involved an area that would be beyond the
normal understanding of the general public, especially
because the General Assembly has specifically permitted
this type of expert testimony. The [c]ourt also found that
a Frye[3] hearing was not necessary in this case because
the General Assembly has said that this type of testimony
is proper and because the testimony given is not “novel”
science. Finally, in an abundance of caution, the [c]ourt
did hold a brief Frye hearing and determined that the
methodology used by Ms. Duffy is generally accepted by
practitioners in the relevant field.
3
Ms. Duffy also testified that she has over 17 years
of experience in the Child Welfare System, including
working with the Adams County and York County
Children’s Advocacy Centers.
Ms. Duffy was not provided any background information on
the case, and she was instructed to testify only as to her
____________________________________________
3
Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C.Cir. 1923).
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general experience with child responses (including reasons
why children may delay in reporting) in sexual assault
cases. Counsel for [Appellant] took part in the questioning
of Ms. Duffy’s credentials.
(Trial Court Opinion, filed June 10, 2015, at 2-5).
Procedurally, on January 22, 2015, the court deemed Appellant a SVP
and sentenced him to an aggregate term of sixty-seven (67) to one hundred
and thirty-four (134) years’ imprisonment. Appellant timely filed a post-
sentence motion on January 30, 2015.4 On March 31, 2015, the court
denied relief. Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal on April 23, 2015. On
April 27, 2015, the court ordered Appellant to file a concise statement of
errors complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b), which
Appellant timely filed on May 8, 2015.
Appellant raises three issues for our review:
SHOULD…THE COURT HAVE ADMITTED A 2011 THEFT
CONVICTION AS CRIMEN FALSI IMPEACHMENT EVIDENCE
AGAINST [APPELLANT?]
DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN PERMITTING THE
COMMONWEALTH TO USE KIMBERLY DUFFY AS AN EXPERT
WITNESS?
WAS THE SENTENCE OF 67-134 YEARS IMPOSED UPON
[APPELLANT] MANIFESTLY UNFAIR AND EXCESSIVE?
(Appellant’s Brief at 10).
After a thorough review of the record, the briefs of the parties, the
____________________________________________
4
Appellant filed a supplemental post-sentence motion on March 10, 2015,
without leave of court.
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applicable law, and the well-reasoned opinion of the Honorable Robert G.
Yeatts, we conclude Appellant’s first issue merits no relief. The trial court’s
opinion comprehensively discusses and properly disposes of this question.
(See Trial Court Opinion at 11-13) (finding: Appellant’s prior theft conviction
is less than ten years old;5 crimen falsi convictions which are less than 10
years old are per se admissible; court was not required to perform balancing
test in considering admission of conviction; cases on which Appellant relies
are not dispositive, as neither case represents current law regarding
introduction of crimen falsi convictions which are less than ten years old;
additionally, court instructed jury to consider 2011 conviction for
impeachment purposes only; Appellant did not object to court’s instructions
and does not argue instructions were improper; no relief is due). Therefore,
with respect to Appellant’s first issue on appeal, we affirm on the basis of
the trial court’s opinion.
Regarding Appellant’s second issue on appeal, we initially observe:
“[W]here an appellate brief fails to provide any discussion of a claim with
citation to relevant authority or fails to develop the issue in any other
____________________________________________
5
Appellant’s 2011 theft conviction constitutes a crimen falsi crime. See
Commonwealth v. Cascardo, 981 A.2d 245 (Pa.Super. 2009), appeal
denied, 608 Pa. 652, 12 A.3d 750 (2010) (stating term crimen falsi involves
element of falsehood and includes everything which has tendency to injure
administration of justice by introduction of falsehood and fraud; discussing
theft by unlawful taking as crime of dishonesty, constituting crimen falsi
offense).
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meaningful fashion capable of review, that claim is waived.”
Commonwealth v. Johnson, 604 Pa. 176, 191, 985 A.2d 915, 924 (2009),
cert. denied, 562 U.S. 906, 131 S.Ct. 250, 178 L.Ed.2d 165 (2010). See
also Pa.R.A.P. 2119(a) (stating argument shall be divided into as many
parts as there are questions to be argued, followed by such discussion and
citation of authorities as are deemed pertinent).
Instantly, Appellant’s entire argument as to his second issue on appeal
is as follows: “The [c]ourt permitted Ms. Duffy to testify as an expert witness
over defense counsel’s objection, reasoning that her qualifications were
piggybacked by 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920. Appellant wishes to preserve this issue
pending the Supreme Court’s decision in Commonwealth v. Olivo, 106
[Berks] 429 (August 27, 2013).” (Appellant’s Brief at 15). Appellant’s
severely undeveloped claim purporting merely to preserve his issue for later
review constitutes waiver of his claim (or abandonment of it) for purposes of
this appeal. See Johnson, supra.Moreover, the court permitted Ms. Duffy’s testimony pursuant to 42
Pa.C.S.A. § 5920, which provides:
§ 5920. Expert testimony in certain criminal
proceedings
(a) Scope.—This section applies to all of the
following:
(1) A criminal proceeding for an offense for which
registration is required under Subchapter H of Chapter 97
(relating to registration of sexual offenders).
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(2) A criminal proceeding for an offense under 18
Pa.C.S. Ch. 31 (relating to sexual offenses).
(b) Qualifications and use of experts.—
(1) In a criminal proceeding subject to this section, a
witness may be qualified by the court as an expert if the
witness has specialized knowledge beyond that possessed
by the average layperson based on the witness’s
experience with, or specialized training or education in,
criminal justice, behavioral sciences or victim services
issues, related to sexual violence, that will assist the trier
of fact in understanding the dynamic of sexual violence,
victim responses to sexual violence and the impact of
sexual violence on victims during and after being
assaulted.
(2) If qualified as an expert, the witness may testify
to facts and opinions regarding specific types of victim
responses and victim behaviors.
(3) The witness’s opinion regarding the credibility of
any other witness, including the victim shall not be
admissible.
(4) A witness qualified by the court as an expert
under this section may be called by the attorney for the
Commonwealth or the defendant to provide the expert
testimony.
42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5920 (internal footnote omitted). See also Commonwealth
v. Carter, 111 A.3d 1221 (Pa.Super. 2015) (holding expert’s testimony was
“clearly admissible” under Section 5920, where expert testified it is common
for child sexual abuse victims to delay reporting and explained some reasons
why child sexual abuse victims might delay in reporting; expert did not
testify regarding specific victim in case, render opinion on whether alleged
sexual incidents actually occurred, or offer opinion regarding specific victim’s
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credibility). Additionally, “Section 5920 is really a rule regarding the
admissibility of evidence, not a procedural rule. Furthermore, it is not in
direct conflict with any existing rule of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.”
Id. at 1224. Thus, Section 5920 does not violate the separation of powers
doctrine. Id.
Instantly, after a thorough review of the record, the briefs of the
parties, the applicable law, and the well-reasoned trial court opinion, we
conclude that even if Appellant had developed his second issue on appeal, it
would still be waived for failure to preserve it before the trial court, and in
any event, would merit no relief. The trial court’s opinion comprehensively
discusses and properly disposes of this question. (See Trial Court Opinion at
13-17) (finding: Section 5920 specifically governs scope of expert testimony
permitted in sex abuse cases; Ms. Duffy testified only generally about her
experience with children’s responses in sexual assault cases; Ms. Duffy was
not privy to facts of this particular case, and she did not testify regarding
either specific victim in this case; Ms. Duffy’s testimony regarding general
child victim responses and behavior following sexual assault was admissible
under Section 5920; Appellant’s claim implicating Olivo (Berks County Court
of Common Pleas case holding Section 5920 is unconstitutional because it
violates separation of powers doctrine and rulemaking authority of
Pennsylvania Supreme Court) is waived because Appellant raised this claim
for first time in post-sentence motion and failed to cite to Olivo during or
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before trial; moreover, Olivo relied on pre-Section 5920 case law; Olivo is
currently pending before Pennsylvania Supreme Court; in Carter, this Court
expressly held expert testimony is permissible under Section 5920, and
Section 5920 does not violate separation of powers doctrine). Therefore,
Appellant’s second issue is waived (or abandoned) as undeveloped on
appeal; moreover, even if Appellant had developed this claim, we would
affirm based on the trial court’s opinion.
In his third issue, Appellant argues the court ignored his rehabilitative
needs in fashioning its sentence. Appellant asserts the court also failed to
consider that Appellant was twenty-six years old at the time of sentencing,
suffers from mental illness, was sexually and physically abused as a child,
and sought mental health treatment as a juvenile. Appellant claims there
was no evidence at trial of physical damage or injury to either child victim.
Appellant contends the child victims are leading normal lives in school, riding
the bus, and performing adequately in school. Appellant insists the court’s
sentence of sixty-seven (67) to one hundred and thirty-four (134) years’
imprisonment amounts to a virtual life sentence. Appellant acknowledges
that the court imposed standard range sentences, but he claims the
cumulative effect of the sentences renders application of the guidelines
clearly unreasonable. Appellant emphasizes the court imposed a sentence
even harsher than the Commonwealth’s recommendation. Appellant
submits his aggregate sentence is essentially equivalent to a sentence for
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first-degree murder. Appellant suggests courts should reserve imposing life
sentences for only the most heinous and brutal crimes for depraved
offenders who have repeatedly committed crimes. Appellant posits the
registration requirements he faces as a SVP are essentially meaningless
given his virtual life sentence. Appellant concludes the trial court imposed a
manifestly excessive and clearly unreasonable sentence, and this Court must
vacate and remand for resentencing. As presented, Appellant’s claims
challenge the discretionary aspects of sentencing. Commonwealth v.
Lutes, 793 A.2d 949 (Pa.Super. 2002) (stating claim that sentence is
manifestly excessive challenges discretionary aspects of sentencing);
Commonwealth v. Berry, 785 A.2d 994 (Pa.Super. 2001) (explaining
complaint that court ignored defendant’s rehabilitative needs upon
sentencing implicates court’s sentencing discretion).
A challenge to the discretionary aspects of sentencing is not
automatically reviewable as a matter of right. Commonwealth v. Hunter,
768 A.2d 1136 (Pa.Super. 2001), appeal denied, 568 Pa. 695, 796 A.2d 979(2001). Prior to reaching the merits of a discretionary sentencing issue:
[W]e conduct a four-part analysis to determine: (1)
whether appellant has filed a timely notice of appeal, see
Pa.R.A.P. 902 and 903; (2) whether the issue was properly
preserved at sentencing or in a motion to reconsider and
modify sentence, see Pa.R.Crim.P. 720; (3) whether
appellant’s brief has a fatal defect, Pa.R.A.P. 2119(f); and
(4) whether there is a substantial question that the
sentence appealed from is not appropriate under the
Sentencing Code, 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9781(b).
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Commonwealth v. Evans, 901 A.2d 528, 533 (Pa.Super. 2006), appeal
denied, 589 Pa. 727, 909 A.2d 303 (2006) (internal citations omitted).
What constitutes a substantial question must be evaluated on a case-
by-case basis. Commonwealth v. Paul, 925 A.2d 825, 828 (Pa.Super.
2007). A substantial question exists “only when the appellant advances a
colorable argument that the sentencing judge’s actions were either: (1)
inconsistent with a specific provision of the Sentencing Code; or (2) contrary
to the fundamental norms which underlie the sentencing process.”
Commonwealth v. Sierra, 752 A.2d 910, 913 (Pa.Super. 2000) (internal
citation omitted).
Generally, “[a]n allegation that a sentencing court failed to consider or
did not adequately consider certain factors does not raise a substantial
question that the sentence was inappropriate.” Commonwealth v. Cruz-
Centeno, 668 A.2d 536, 545 (Pa.Super. 1995), appeal denied, 544 Pa. 653,
676 A.2d 1195 (1996) (internal citation and quotation marks omitted). See
also Berry, supra (explaining allegation that sentencing court failed to
consider specific mitigating factor generally does not raise substantial
question; claim that sentencing court ignored appellant’s rehabilitative needs
failed to raise substantial question).
A claim of excessiveness can raise a substantial question as to the
appropriateness of a sentence under the Sentencing Code, even if the
sentence is within the statutory limits. Commonwealth v. Mouzon, 571
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Pa. 419, 430, 812 A.2d 617, 624 (2002). Bald allegations of excessiveness,
however, do not raise a substantial question to warrant appellate review.
Id. at 435, 812 A.2d at 627. Rather, a substantial question will be found
“only where the appellant’s Rule 2119(f) statement sufficiently articulates
the manner in which the sentence violates either a specific provision of the
sentencing scheme set forth in the Sentencing Code or a particular
fundamental norm underlying the sentencing process….” Id.“Generally, Pennsylvania law affords the sentencing court
discretion to impose its sentence concurrently or
consecutively to other sentences being imposed at the
same time or to sentences already imposed. Any
challenge to the exercise of this discretion ordinarily does
not raise a substantial question.” Commonwealth v.
Prisk, 13 A.3d 526, 533 (Pa.Super. 2011). See
Commonwealth v. Hoag, [665 A.2d 1212, 1214
(Pa.Super. 1995)] (stating an appellant is not entitled to a
“volume discount” for his crimes by having all sentences
run concurrently). In fact, this Court has recognized “the
imposition of consecutive, rather than concurrent,
sentences may raise a substantial question in only the
most extreme circumstances, such as where the aggregate
sentence is unduly harsh, considering the nature of the
crimes and the length of imprisonment.” Commonwealth
v. Lamonda, 52 A.3d 365, 372 (Pa.Super. 2012) (en
banc)[, appeal denied, 621 Pa. 677, 75 A.3d 1281 (2013)].
That is “in our view, the key to resolving the preliminary
substantial question inquiry is whether the decision to
sentence consecutively raises the aggregate sentence to,
what appears upon its face to be, an excessive level in
light of the criminal conduct at issue in this case.” Prisk[,
supra at 533].
Commonwealth v. Austin, 66 A.3d 798, 809 (Pa.Super. 2013), appeal
denied, 621 Pa. 692, 77 A.3d 1258 (2013) (some internal citations and
quotation marks omitted) (holding appellant’s challenge to aggregate
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sentence of 35-70 years’ imprisonment for appellant’s 96 offenses of sexual
abuse of children did not raise substantial question; appellant’s convictions
stemmed from appellant’s possession of 96 images of child pornography,
which depicted numerous different children, majority of whom were engaged
in sex acts with adult men and women; appellant was also depicted in some
images having sex with child; trial court did not impose consecutive
sentences for every count; court imposed concurrent sentences for 49 of 96
counts; trial court’s exercise of discretion in this case did not result in
sentence that is grossly disparate to appellant’s conduct or patently
unreasonable).6 But see Commonwealth v. Dodge, 957 A.2d 1198(Pa.Super. 2008), appeal denied, 602 Pa. 662, 980 A.2d 605 (2009)
(holding consecutive, standard range sentences on thirty-seven counts of
theft-related offenses for aggregate sentence of 58½ to 124 years’
imprisonment constituted virtual life sentence and was so manifestly
excessive as to raise substantial question).
On appeal, this Court will not disturb the judgment of the sentencing
court absent an abuse of discretion. Commonwealth v. Fullin, 892 A.2d
____________________________________________
6
An earlier panel of this Court in Austin vacated and remanded for
resentencing following the appellant’s original sentence of 72-192 years’
imprisonment, where the trial court had initially imposed consecutive periods
of incarceration at the top end of the standard range for each of the
appellant’s 96 counts of possession of child pornography. Given the
appellant’s age of twenty-five (25) at sentencing, the prior panel of this
Court concluded the sentence amounted to a virtual life sentence under the
facts and circumstances of the case. See id. at 801.
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843 (Pa.Super. 2006).
[A]n abuse of discretion is more than a mere error of
judgment; thus, a sentencing court will not have abused
its discretion unless the record discloses that the judgment
exercised was manifestly unreasonable, or the result of
partiality, prejudice, bias or ill-will. In more expansive
terms, our Court recently offered: An abuse of discretion
may not be found merely because an appellate court might
have reached a different conclusion, but requires a result
of manifest unreasonableness, or partiality, prejudice,
bias, or ill-will, or such lack of support so as to be clearly
erroneous.
Commonwealth v. Walls, 592 Pa. 557, 564, 926 A.2d 957, 961 (2007)
(internal quotation marks and citations omitted). “Where the sentencing
court imposes a sentence within the guideline range, we must review to
determine whether the trial court’s sentence is ‘clearly unreasonable.’”
Dodge, supra at 1200 (citing 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9781(c)(2)).
Instantly, Appellant did not raise in his Rule 1925(b) statement his
complaints that the court ignored his rehabilitative needs or failed to
consider specific mitigating factors, so those claims are waived. See
Commonwealth v. Castillo, 585 Pa. 395, 888 A.2d 775 (2005) (holding
issues not raised in Rule 1925(b) statement are waived on appeal).
Appellant’s excessiveness claim that the court imposed a virtual life
sentence appears on the surface to raise a substantial question.
Nevertheless, we also recognize that the jury found Appellant guilty of
fourteen (14) counts of sexual abuse against two young children, spanning a
period of fifteen (15) months while Appellant was engaged in a relationship
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with the victims’ mother and acted in a parental role. Significantly, the court
imposed standard range sentences for each conviction and did not impose
consecutive sentences for every count. At the same time, Appellant was not
entitled to a “volume discount” for his multiple offenses. See Austin,
supra; Hoag, supra.Additionally, the court set forth on the record, at great length, its
reasons for the sentence imposed. (See N.T. Sentencing Hearing, 1/22/15,
at 101-114; 121-22; R.R. at 381a-394a; 401a-402a) The court stated it
considered Appellant’s pre-sentence investigation (“PSI”) report, which
detailed Appellant’s background, prior abuse as a child, mental health
issues, and treatment history. See Commonwealth v. Fowler, 893 A.2d
758 (Pa.Super. 2006) (stating where sentencing court had benefit of PSI
report, we can presume it was aware of relevant information regarding
defendant’s character and weighed those considerations along with
mitigating statutory factors). The court also reviewed an inmate adjustment
summary rating Appellant’s treatment while incarcerated. Further, the court
considered the impact of Appellant’s crimes on the victims, victim impact
statements, letters from Appellant’s family and friends, and Appellant’s
rehabilitative needs. As well, the court specifically weighed the factors
delineated in 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9721(b) (setting forth general sentencing
standards). The court further considered Appellant’s testimony at trial,
denying his guilt, and his general lack of remorse for his crimes. The court
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noted it found the victims’ testimony at trial credible and commented on the
fifteen-month span in which Appellant had abused the child victims. After
imposing sentence, the court stated:
Now, [Appellant], when one hears these numbers of years,
and that’s all one hears, [he] may say that’s a long, long
sentence. But, [Appellant], I want you, your family, your
friends, and I want the victims and our community to
understand that while the sentence is chronologically long,
when you consider each act which you perpetrated on
these very young children, when you look at the different
interests and protections of the victims, when you look at
each social wrong that needs to be addressed by each
criminal act you committed, when you look at the horror,
harm, and trauma you caused that each of these crimes
address, and when you look at them separately, and when
you factor in the ages of the victim[s], the fact that you
were in a position of a parental figure who’s responsible to
look after and protect these young children, when you
assaulted them—sexually assaulted them instead, that
when you threatened them, that there was great victim
impact; that after six years of placement and treatment,
you never once sought help or counseling to address your
sexual issues, but rather continued to pray upon and
sexually assault these young children. When you put all
this together, it’s clear that this is an appropriate sentence
to address what occurred and to protect society.
(N.T., 1/22/15, at 121-22; R.R. at 401a-402a). We accept the court’s
analysis and decline to deem the aggregate sentence imposed “clearly
unreasonable” in light of the violent nature of the criminal conduct at issue.
See Prisk, supra (holding appellant’s challenge to discretionary aspects of
sentence warranted no relief where court sentenced appellant to aggregate
term of 633-1,500 years’ imprisonment for 314 acts of sexual abuse of his
stepdaughter on almost daily basis over course of six years; court did not
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impose consecutive sentences for every count, and appellant was not
entitled to volume discount for his offenses; appellant’s aggregate sentence
was not excessive in light of violent criminal conduct at issue). Therefore,
Appellant’s challenge to the discretionary aspects of his sentence merits no
relief. Accordingly, we affirm.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 11/4/2015
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2015 JW~ I O n1 2: I 9 J-~ 04
i-PD
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF MERCER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANI
CRIMINAL
COMMONWEALTH OF
PENNSYLVANIA,
No. 1506 Criminal 2013
v.
CHRJSTOPHER WALTON BLAKE,
Defendant.
1925 OPINION
Defendant Christopher Walton Blake has appealed to the Superior Court of
Pennsylvania this Court's March 31, 2015 Order denying Defendant's Post-Sentence
Motion. Defendant has raised five (5) issues in Defendant's Statement of Errors
Complained of on Appeal:
1. The Honorable Court erred in not granting
Defendant's pre-trial Motion to Dismiss all charges
in the criminal information after trial commenced
more than 3 65 days after the criminal complaint was
filed, in violation of Pa. R. Crim. P. 600(A)(2)(a).
2. The Honorable Court erred in permitting the
Commonwealth to amend the criminal information
on the eve of trial to add Rape and IDSI charges.
3. The Honorable Court erred in ruling that the
Commonwealth would be permitted to offer
Defendant's criminal conviction of March 30, 2011,
Theft by Unlawful Taking, as a crime of falsity to
Circulated 10/13/2015 11:03 AM
impeach Defendant's credibility if Defendant
chooses to testify at trial.
4. The Honorable Court erred in permitting the
Commonwealth to introduce the testimony of
Kimberly Duffy as an expert to testify regarding the
response patterns of child victims in sexual assault
cases.
5. The sentence imposed by the Honorable Court is
manifestly unfair and excessive.
(Defendant's Statement of Errors Complained of on Appeal, 11 1 - 5).
Background
On September 17, 2014, a jury found Defendant guilty of two (2) counts of each
of the following: Rape of a Child, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a child,
Aggravated Indecent Assault of a child, Unlawful Contact with a Minor - Sexual
offenses, Unlawful Contact with a Minor - Obscene and other explicit sexual materials,
Corruption of a Minor, and Indecent Assault. The basis of these charges is that from
approximately June 2008 to October 2009, Defendant performed numerous sexual acts on
two minor children who were under his care at the time. These acts included the
Defendant penetrating the child victims' genitals and anuses (both with his penis and
digitally), the Defendant performing oral sex on the children, the Defendant forcing the
children to perform oral sex on the Defendant, and the Defendant showing the children
sexually explicit materials. The two children were approximately 5 and 6 years old during
this period.
Prior to sentencing, this Court ordered the Sexual Offender's Assessment Board
("SOAB") to conduct an assessment to determine if the Defendant could be sentenced as
a Sexually Violent Predator ("SVP"). At the SVP hearing, this Court found that the
Commonwealth met its burden of proving the Defendant a SVP by clear and convincing
2
Circulated 10/13/2015 11:03 AM
evidence. The Court sentenced the Defendant to a total of 67 to 134 years of incarceration
the same day. The Court sentenced the Defendant within the standard range for each
offense and ran consecutively the two sentences each of Rape of a Child, Involuntary
Deviate Sexual Intercourse, and Aggravated Indecent Assault of a child. 1
Before and during trial, this Court denied several of Defendant's motions that
formed the basis of his Post-Sentence Motion. The first was a motion to dismiss all
charges, arguing that the Commonwealth violated Pa.R.Crim.P. 600 by failing to initiate
Defendant's trial within 365 days of the criminal complaint being filed. In this case, the
Commonwealth filed the criminal complaint on August 08, 2013, and trial began on
September 15, 2014, or some 403 days later. However, during a hearing on September
12, 2014, the Honorable Judge St. John found that there was a 47-day period (from
August 29, 2013 to October 15, 2013) excludable from the time limit, meaning the trial
began 356 days from the filing of the criminal complaint as calculated under Rule 600.
The testimony from that hearing established that Defendant, through his counsel at the
time, consented to the continuance on August 29, 2013. Further, Defendant's counsel
waived Rule 600 at that time. Accordingly, Judge St. John entered an Order denying
Defendant's Motion to Dismiss all of the charges.
Next, on September 12, 2014 (the eve of trial), this Court overruled Defendant's
objection to the Commonwealth amending its criminal information by adding two (2)
counts each of Rape of a Child and Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse. The
information was originally filed on December 16, 2013, and contained six (6) counts of
Aggravated Indecent Assault and two (2) counts of Aggravated Indecent Assault of a
I
The sentences for the remaining offenses were also within the standard guidelines and ran concurrently to
the other sentences imposed.
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child.2 In the Aggravated Indecent Assault charges listed in the original information, the
Commonwealth averred facts that the Defendant placed his penis in the mouth and/or
anus of each child, that he penetrated the genitals or anus of each child, and that this was
not done for good faith medical, hygienic, or law enforcement purposes. This Court
found that the new charges added to the information arose from the same set of events
already plead in the information, and that the Defendant was effectively on notice of the
Rape of a child and IDSI charges that could be brought against him. Further, the
Defendant received ample time to discuss the amendment with counsel and Defendant
informed the Court that he was ready to proceed with the trial, without need of a
continuance. Therefore, this Court permitted the Commonwealth leave to amend the
information.
Next, at the initiation of trial, the Court overruled Defendant's objection to
permitting the Commonwealth to provide evidence of Defendant's 2011 Theft by
Unlawful Taking conviction should Defendant testify at trial. The Court overruled the
objection because it found that the conviction was per se admissible under Pa.R.E. 609(a)
because it was crimen falsi and was less than 10 years old. Further, the Court took care to
instruct the jury in this case to consider the conviction solely for impeachment purposes.
Finally, during the trial, this Court permitted the Commonwealth to introduce
expert testimony from Kimberly Duffy, a Program Development Specialist within the
Department of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh.3 After a brief hearing
regarding Ms. Duffy's qualifications, training, education, and experience, the Court
2
Two of the counts of Aggravated Indecent Assault were in violation of I 8 Pa.C.S. § 3125(a)(]), two were
in violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3125(a)(7), and two were in violation of I 8 Pa.C.S. § 3125(a)(8}.
3
Ms. Duffy also testified that she has over 17 years of experience in the Child Welfare System, including
working with the Adams County and York County Children's Advocacy Centers.
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found that she was an expert with respect to behavioral response patterns of child victims
in sexual assault cases. In so finding, the Court ruled that this testimony involved an area
that would be beyond the normal understanding of the general public, especially because
the General Assembly has specifically permitted this type of expert testimony. The Court
also found that a Frye hearing was not necessary in this case because the General
Assembly has said that this type of testimony is proper and because the testimony given
is not "novel" science. Finally, in an abundance of caution, the Court did hold a brief
Frye hearing and determined that the methodology used by Ms. Duffy is generally
accepted by practitioners in the relevant field.
Ms. Duffy was not provided any background information on the case, and she was
instructed to testify only as to her general experience with child responses (including
reasons why children may delay in reporting) in sexual assault cases. Counsel for the
Defendant took part in the questioning of Ms. Duffy's credentials.
Discussion
Defendant Christopher Blake raises five points of error in his Statement of Errors
Complained of on Appeal. For the reasons discussed below, the Superior Court should
reject Defendant's arguments and affirm this Court's Order denying Defendant Post-
Sentence Motion.
A. There was no violation of Pa.R.Crim.P. 600(A)(2)(a)
Defendant's first issue raised claims that the Court erred in not dismissing all charges
against the Defendant because the Defendant was brought to trial more than 365 days
after the filing of the criminal complaint, in violation of Pa.R.Crim.P. 600(A)(2)(a). In his
Order denying Defendant's motion to dismiss, the Honorable Judge St. John determined
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that the period from August 29, 2013 to October 15, 2013 (the date of the preliminary
hearing in this matter) constituted 47 days that are excludable under Pa.R.Crim.P.
600(C)(l) from the 365-day limit. The Defendant argues that at least twelve (12) days of
the 47-day period is attributable to the Commonwealth's lack of due diligence, and
therefore should not be excludable under the rule. Defendant argues that if these twelve
(12) days are in fact attributable to the Commonwealth, then the Commonwealth has
violated Rule 600.
Judge St. John entered his Order regarding the Rule 600 motion after a hearing.
The testimony from that hearing established that Defendant, through his counsel at the
time, consented to a continuance on August 29, 2013. Further, Defendant's counsel
waived Rule 600 at that time. This continuance cannot be held against the
Commonwealth. However, Defendant reasserts his argument that there are stretches of
time within the 4 7-day period that are either court delay or delay caused by the lack of
due diligence by the Commonwealth. Examples cited include the Commonwealth's lack
of due diligence in not acting to reschedule the Preliminary Hearing and its lack of due
diligence by delaying in the filing of its motion under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5981, et seq.
Defendant does not argue exactly how any of these periods involved the
Commonwealth's lack of due diligence; Defendant merely asserts that they are so. These
same arguments were heard and rejected by the Judge St. John during the Rule 600
hearing. This Court agrees with Judge St. John that any time of the 47-day period should
not be excluded for purposes of Rule 600.
Therefore, Defendant is not entitled to relief on this claim.
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B. It was not improper to permit the Commonwealth to amend the
criminal information to add Rape of a Child and IDSI charges
Defendant next argues that the Court erred in allowing the Commonwealth to amend the
criminal information on September 12, 2014, the eve of trial. Specifically, Defendant
argues that he was prejudiced by the addition of the two Rape and IDSI charges, which
would drastically increase Defendant's minimum and maximum sentences, if convicted.
Further, Defendant argues that he was not on notice of the added Rape and IDSI charges
and that these contained new elements for which a defense was not prepared.
Concerning amendment of the criminal information, the Superior Court has
stated:
Rule of Criminal Procedure 564 governs the amendment of
a criminal information. The purpose of this rule is to "ensure
that a defendant is fully apprised of the charges, and to avoid
prejudice by prohibiting the last minute addition of alleged
criminal acts of which the defendant is uninformed." When
a challenge is raised to an amended information, the salient
inquiry is [ w ]hether the crimes specified in the original ...
information involve the same basic elements and evolved out
of the same factual situation as the crimes specified in the
amended ... information. If so, then the defendant is deemed
to have been placed on notice regarding his alleged criminal
conduct. If, however, the amended provision alleges a
different set of events, or defenses to the amended crime are
materially different from the elements or defenses to the
crime originally charged, such that the defendant would be
prejudiced by the change, then the amendment is not
permitted.
Com. v. Samuel, 102 A.3d 1001, 1008-09 (Pa. Super. 2014) (internal citations omitted).
Further, "relief is warranted only when the amendment to the information prejudices a
defendant." Com. v. Page, 965 A.2d 1212, 1224 (Pa. Super. 2009). Factors to be
considered when determining whether Appellant was prejudiced by the Commonwealth's
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amendment include "whether the amendment changes the factual scenario; whether new
facts, previously unknown to appellant, were added; whether the description of the
charges changed; whether the amendment necessitated a change in defense strategy; and
whether the timing of the request for the amendment allowed for ample notice and
preparation by appellant." Id.The original information in this case contained six (6) counts of Aggravated
Indecent Assault and two (2) counts of Aggravated Indecent Assault of a child. In the
Aggravated Indecent Assault charges listed in the original information, the
Commonwealth averred facts that the Defendant placed his penis in the mouth and/or
anus of each child, that he penetrated the genitals or anus of each child, and that this was
not done for good faith medical, hygienic, or law enforcement purposes. To prove Rape
of a Child, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3121 ( c ), the Commonwealth must prove that Defendant
"engage] d] in sexual intercourse with a complainant who is less than 13 years of age." To
prove IDSI, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b), the Commonwealth must prove that Defendant
"engage[ d] in deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant who is less than 13 years of
age." "Deviate sexual intercourse" is defined as sexual intercourse "per os or per anus
between human beings and any form of sexual intercourse with an animal. The term also
includes penetration, however slight, of the genitals or anus of another person with a
foreign object for any purpose other than good faith medical, hygienic or law
enforcement procedures." 18 Pa.C.S. § 3103.
Here, Defendant was clearly put on notice by the original information of the
factual situation and potential Rape and IDSI charges that could be brought against him.
Both Rape of a Child and the IDSI charges require intercourse with victims who are
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under 13 years of age, and IDSI is also met when there is intercourse per anus. As stated
above, the Commonwealth alleged all of these facts in the Aggravated Indecent Assault
charges within the original information. Therefore, the Commonwealth pled all of the
facts sufficient to implement Rape of a Child and IDSI charges.
Further, Defendant's defense was not nullified or affected by the amendment of
the charges. Defendant's defense at trial was to deny completely any inappropriate
contact with the victims, and to discredit the testimony of the victims through any
inconsistencies. This defense did not become any less effective with the addition of the
Rape of a Child and IDSI charges. The defense was in no way tailored towards
distinguishing Aggravated Indecent Assault versus Rape of a Child or IDSI; this defense
would not have been effective because of the facts pled by the Commonwealth in the
original information.
Similarly, Defendant was not prejudiced by the timing of the amending of the
information. Even though the information was amended immediately prior to trial, this
Court gave Defendant ample time to speak with his counsel regarding the new charges
and potential sentence. Additionally, the Court informed Defendant, through his counsel,
that the Court would do its best to accommodate Defendant if he needed additional time
to discuss defense strategies. Defendant never moved for a continuance, and after
speaking with his counsel for approximately one-half hour, informed the Court that he
was ready to proceed with trial.
In his memorandum of law supporting his Post-Sentence Motion, Defendant cited
several cases where the appellate courts found that amendment of charges was improper;
however, these cases are distinguishable. In Com. v. Brown, 727 A.2d 541, 545 (Pa.
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1999), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that it was error for the trial court to allow
the Commonwealth to amend the criminal information immediately prior to
commencement of trial to include charges of Rape and IDSI with an unconscious person,
when original information only included charges of Rape and IDSI by forcible
compulsion. Considering then Pa.R.Crim.P. 229 (now Pa.R.Crim.P. 564), the Supreme
Court determined that the amendment prejudiced the defendant primarily because it
rendered null the primary defense prepared against the original charges. Id. at 544. As
discussed above, that did not happen in this case.
In Com. v. Gray, 4 78 A.2d 822, 825 (Pa. Super. 1984 ), the Superior Court held
that the trial court improperly permitted the information, charging defendant with
criminal trespass, to be amended at the close of Commonwealth's case. The Court ruled
so because the defendant lacked notice of prosecutor's intent to prosecute him for forcible
entry rather than surreptitious or deceptive entry, and the amendment raised the grade of
the crime from third to second-degree felony, subjecting the defendant to a more severe
penalty. Id. In so ruling, the Superior Court emphasized the timeliness of the amendment
(distinguishing it from cases where information was amended at beginning of trial) and
the fact that the elements materially changed. Id.Again, Gray is distinguishable from this case because the Commonwealth's
motion to amend the information was made before trial began, and further, the original
information already pied all of the facts sufficient to bring charges of Rape of a Child and
IDSI against the Defendant.
Although the new charges here did threaten the Defendant with a longer sentence,
Defendant was not prejudiced by the amendment because he was put on notice of the
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factual situation pled against him and his available defenses were not diminished or
affected. The Superior Court has never held that threat of a longer sentence, by itself:
amounts to prejudice to the defendant for purposes of amendment to the information. On
the contrary, the Superior Court has emphasized that prejudice to the defendant requires
factors such as an amendment that would change or nullify a defense, an amendment that
affords the defendant no time to prepare a new defense, and whether new facts were
plead in the amendment. See Com. v. Page, 965 A.2d 1212, 1224 (Pa. Super. 2009).
None of these factors applicable here.
Therefore, Defendant is not entitled to relief upon this claim.
C. This Court did not err in permitting testimony of Defendant's crimen
falsi theft conviction
Defendant next argues that this Court erred in granting the Commonwealth permission to
introduce evidence of Defendant's 2011 Theft by Unlawful Taking conviction to impeach
his credibility, should he testify at trial. Specifically, Defendant argues that the Court
admitted the crimen falsi conviction merely because Pa.R.E. 609(a) authorizes its
admission without any reasoned determination or balancing, as required by Pa.R.E. 403.
In his Post-Sentence Motion, Defendant also cited two cases" standing for the proposition
that there is no per se rule of admissibility of a defendant's prior crimen falsi conviction.
Finally, Defendant argues that the Commonwealth offered no reason or justification for
offering the conviction other than the fact that the conviction was for crimen falsi and
was less than 10 years old.
4These cases are Com. v. Bighum, 307 A.2d 255 (Pa. 1973) and Com. v. Roots, 393 A.2d 364 (Pa. 1978),
which are briefly addressed below.
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The admissibility of evidence is within the sound discretion of the trial court, and
will not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. Com. v. Hoover, 107 A.3d 723, 729
(Pa. 2014). Abuse of discretion is not found merely when an appellate court might have
reached a different conclusion; instead, abuse of discretion requires a result of manifest
unreasonableness, or partiality, prejudice, bias, or ill-will, or such lack of support so as to
be clearly erroneous. Id. In relevant part, Pa.RE. 609 states "(a) In General. For the
purpose of attacking the credibility of any witness, evidence that the witness has been
convicted of a crime, whether by verdict or by plea of guilty or nolo contendere, must be
admitted if it involved dishonesty or false statement." Finally, the Superior Court has
stated "[ w ]here the date of conviction or last date of confinement is within ten years of
the trial, evidence of the conviction of a crimen falsi is per se admissible." Com. v.
Trippet, 932 A.2d 188, 199 (Pa. Super. 2007). The Trippet Court held that, regarding a
crimen falsi conviction that is less than ten years old, the Court need not discuss potential
prejudice to the defendant before admitting it. Id. at 200.
Here, there is no dispute that Defendant's prior conviction of Theft by Unlawful
Taking is less than 10 years old. As per Trippet and Rule 609, Defendant's conviction
was per se admissible. The Court was not required to perform any balancing test in
considering the admission of the conviction. Defendant's reliance upon both Bighum and
Roots is misplaced, as neither case represents the current law regarding the introduction
of crimen falsi convictions that are less than IO years old in the Commonwealth. While
Defendant correctly states that convictions for crimen falsi are not to be automatically
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admitted if the conviction is more than 10 years old,5 the same is not true for convictions
that are less than 10 years old.
Additionally, the Court here made sure to instruct the jury to properly consider the
conviction for impeachment purposes only. Defendant never objected to these
instructions, and he does not argue that they were in any way improper. Therefore,
Defendant is not entitled to relief upon this claim.
D. The Commonwealth was permitted to use Kimberly Duffy as an
expert witness
Defendant next argues that the Court erred in permitting Kimberly Duffy to testify as an
expert regarding typical behavior patterns of children in sexual assault cases. Defendant
argues that this is impermissible because it infringes on the Defendant's right to have the
credibility of witnesses determined by the jury without expert testimony influence.
Defendant also relies on Com. v. Olivo, 106 Berks 429 (Aug. 27, 2013), to argue that 42
Pa.C.S. § 5920, which permits such expert testimony, is unconstitutional as a violation of
the separation of powers. Finally, Defendant argues that the testimony was inadmissible
because the Commonwealth did not establish that Ms. Duffy's methodology was
generally accepted in the relevant scientific fields of behavioral science, as required by
Frye.
The testimony given by Ms. Duffy is governed by 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920, which
states:
(a) Scope.--This section applies to all of the following:
5 "If more than ten years have elapsed, the evidence may be used only after written notice and the trial
judge's determination that its probative value substantially outweighs its prejudicial effect." Pa.R.E. 609,
Comment; see also Commonwealth v. Randall, 515 Pa. 410, 528 A.2d 1326, 1328-29 (1987). Randall
ultimately adopted the balancing approach that Defendant relies upon for crimen falsi convictions that are
more than 10 years old. As stated above, the Randall balancing factors do not apply to crimen falsi
convictions that are less than 10 years old. Com. v. Trippet, 932 A.2d 188, 199-200 (Pa. Super. 2007).
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(1) A criminal proceeding for an offense for which
registration is required under Subchapter H of Chapter 97
(relating to registration of sexual offenders).
(2) A criminal proceeding for an offense under 18 Pa.C.S.
Ch. 31 (relating to sexual offenses).
(b) Qualifications and use of experts.-
(1) In a criminal proceeding subject to this section, a witness
may be qualified by the court as an expert if the witness has
specialized knowledge beyond that possessed by the average
layperson based on the witness's experience with, or
specialized training or education in, criminal justice,
behavioral sciences or victim services issues, related to
sexual violence, that will assist the trier of fact in
understanding the dynamics of sexual violence, victim
responses to sexual violence and the impact of sexual
violence on victims during and after being assaulted.
(2) Ifqualified as an expert, the witness may testify tofacts
and opinions regarding specific types of victim responses
and victim behaviors.
(3) The witness's opinion regarding the credibility of any
other witness, including the victim, shall not be admissible.
(4) A witness qualified by the court as an expert under this
section may be called by the attorney for the Commonwealth
or the defendant to provide the expert testimony.
(Emphasis added). This statute explicitly gives the Commonwealth the right to introduce
expert testimony regarding victim response and behaviors after sexual assault.
Regarding Defendant's Frye argument, a hearing is necessary when "a trial judge
has articulable grounds to believe that an expert has not applied accepted scientific
methodology in a conventional fashion in reaching his or her conclusions." Betz v.
Pneumo Abex, LLC, 44 A.3d 27, 53 (Pa. 2012). Further, this Court notes that scientific or
technical evidence that has been approved by statute is not subject to the "general
acceptance" test. See Com. v. Dengler, 890 A.2d 372, 383 (Pa. 2005) (holding that expert
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testimony regarding Sexually Violent Predator status does not require a Frye hearing
because the factors to be considered have been specifically enumerated by the General
Assembly). In enacting 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
specifically authorized the use of expert testimony regarding victim responses in sexual
assault cases. Therefore, this Court was not required to hold a Frye hearing regarding Ms.
Duffy's testimony.6
Defendant next relies on the Com. v. Olivo, 106 Berks 429 (Aug. 27, 2013), a case
from the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County, where the trial court held that 42
Pa.C.S. § 5920 is unconstitutional because it violates the Separation of Powers Doctrine
and the rulemaking authority of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.7 The trial court in
Olivo relied on Com. v. Dunkel, 602 A.2d 830 (Pa. 1992), a pre-Section 5920 case that
held testimony very similar to that offered here was impermissible. The Dunkel Court
ruled that the testimony was impermissible because it attempted to explain "Child Sexual
Abuse Syndrome," it did not meet general acceptance within the field, and it did not
entail knowledge beyond what the layperson possesses. Dunkel, 602 A.2d at 177, 181.
6 Prior to trial, the Court found that Ms. Duffy was an expert with regard to the response of children in
sexual assault cases. In so finding, the Court ruled that this testimony involves an area that would be
beyond the normal understanding of the general public, especially because the General Assembly has
specifically permitted this type of expert testimony. The Court also found that a Frye hearing was not
necessary in this case because the General Assembly has said that this type of testimony is proper and
because the testimony given is not "novel" science. In an abundance of caution, the Court did, in fact, hold
a brief Frye hearing immediately before the beginning of trial. The Court determined that the methodology
used by the expert is generally accepted by practitioners in the relevant field.
7 Defendant challenged the constitutionality of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920 on the basis of separation of powers for
the first time in his post-sentence motion. Defendant failed to raise this argument or to cite to Olivo during
or before trial. Therefore, this argument is waived. See Pa.R.C.P. 227 .1 (b ). See also Com. v. Gordon, 528
A.2d 631, 63 8 (Pa. Super. 1987) (holding that defendant's argument regarding suppression of evidence
waived when presented for the first time in post-trial motions). This Court believes that waiver applies even
if the Defendant is challenging the constitutionality ofa statute. See Com. v. Howe, 842 A.2d 436, 441 (Pa.
Super 2004) ("Constitutional issues, even sentencing issues based upon the constitution, are waived if not
properly raised in the trial court") (internal citation omitted). Nonetheless, the Court addresses the merits of
Defendant's argument in the event that waiver is not found.
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After the trial court reached its decision in Olivo, the Commonwealth appealed; the case
is currently in front of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.8
Despite the fact that Olivo is currently before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court,
the Superior Court has recently ruled directly on this issue in Com. v. Carter, 111 A.3d
1221 (Pa. Super. 2015). There, the Commonwealth called Carol Haupt as an expert to
testify "that it is common for child sexual abuse victims to delay in reporting." Id. at
1223. Ms. Haupt also "expounded upon some of the reasons why a child sexual abuse
victim may delay in reporting." Id. However, she did not testify regarding the particular
victim in the case or whether the alleged incidents actually occurred. Id. Ms. Haupt did
not offer any opinion regarding the victim's credibility. Id. The Superior Court held that
this was a permissible use of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920.
Ms. Duffy's testimony in this case was identical to the expert testimony
introduced in Carter. As stated above, Ms. Duffy testified only generally as to her
experience with children's responses in sexual assault cases. She was not privy to any of
the facts in this particular matter, and she did not testify as to either of the child victims
particularly. Since there is no material distinction in the testimony between this case and
Carter, the testimony was clearly permissible.
With respect to Defendant's separation of powers argument, the Carter Court held
that "Section 5920 is really a rule regarding the admissibility of evidence, not a
procedural rule. Furthermore, it is not in direct conflict with any existing rule of the
Pennsylvania Supreme Court." Carter, 111 A.3d at 1224. Relying on other precedent, the
8 Upon appeal, the case first went to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. The Superior Court did not decide
this case, but rather the court's Prothonotary transferred it to the Supreme Court pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 751
on October 21, 2014.
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Court held that the statute is constitutional. Id In doing so, the Court distinguished its
case from that of Dunkle by stating that "Dunkle predates Section 5920 and was not
based on constitutional grounds but on existing case law and rules of evidence. As such,
we determine that Section 5920 does not violate separation of powers." Id
This new binding precedent clearly permitted the Commonwealth to introduce the
testimony of Kimberly Duffy as an expert witness. Further, Defendant is incorrect in
arguing that 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920 is unconstitutional. Therefore, Defendant is not entitled to
relief on this claim.
E. Defendant's sentence is not manifestly unfair or excessive
Defendant finally argues that the aggregate sentence of 67 to 134 years of imprisonment
is manifestly unfair and excessive.
In reviewing a challenge to the discretionary aspects of sentencing, the Superior
Court "evaluate[s] the court's decision under an abuse of discretion standard." Com. v.
Dodge, 77 A.3d 1263, 1274 (Pa. Super. 2013). Additionally, "[the Superior] Court's
review of the discretionary aspects of a sentence is confined by the statutory mandates of
42 Pa.C.S. § 978l(c) and (d)." Com. v. Macias, 968 A.2d 773, 776 (Pa. Super. 2009).
Section 9781(c) reads:
(c) Determination on appeal.-The appellate court shall
vacate the sentence and remand the case to the sentencing
court with instructions if it finds:
( 1) the sentencing court purported to sentence within
the sentencing guidelines but applied the guidelines
erroneously;
(2) the sentencing court sentenced within the
sentencing guidelines but the case involves circumstances
where the application of the guidelines would be clearly
unreasonable; or
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(3) the sentencing court sentenced outside the
sentencing guidelines and the sentence is unreasonable.
In all other cases the appellate court shall affirm the sentence
imposed by the sentencing court.
Finally, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has held that standard range consecutive
sentences are not clearly unreasonable where the trial court relies on the defendant's prior
history and a finding that he was a high risk to re-offend. See Com. v. Klueber, 904 A.2d
911 (Pa. 2006).
Here, Defendant was found guilty of 14 charges that were perpetuated against two
minor victims. The Court sentenced the Defendant within the standard guidelines for all
of the charges and chose to run consecutively the two sentences each of Rape of a Child,
Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, and Aggravated Indecent Assault of a child.
Collectively, this resulted in a sentence of 67 to 134 years of incarceration. In imposing
this sentence, the Court considered all of the relevant factors, including the Defendant's
prior criminal history, the safety of the community, and the Defendant's high likelihood
of offending again. Under the circumstances, application of the standard guidelines was
not clearly unreasonable and this Court did not abuse its judicial discretion.
For the above reasons, Defendant is not entitled to relief upon this claim.
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Accordingly, the Superior Court should reject Defendant Christopher Blake's
appeal and uphold this Court's Order denying Defendant's Post-Sentence Motion.
BY THE COURT,
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