Com. v. Moats, J. ( 2021 )


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  • J-A09030-21
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA                 :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    :        PENNSYLVANIA
    :
    v.                             :
    :
    :
    JESSEE LEE MOATS                             :
    :
    Appellant               :   No. 661 WDA 2020
    Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered June 5, 2020
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Greene County Criminal Division at
    No(s): CP-30-CR-0000097-2019
    BEFORE:      STABILE, J., KUNSELMAN, J., and PELLEGRINI, J.*
    MEMORANDUM BY KUNSELMAN, J.:                   FILED: SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
    Jessee Lee Moats appeals from the judgment of sentence imposed
    following his conviction for insurance fraud and false reports to law
    enforcement authorities.1 We affirm.
    The factual and procedural history underlying this appeal can be
    summarized as follows. On May 4, 2018, Moats drove to the home of his
    brother, James Moats (hereinafter “James”) in Maidsville, West Virginia, just
    before midnight. Moats picked up James and the two of them proceeded to
    the Granville Sheetz to buy beer before picking up Moat’s wife, Jenna Obrad
    (hereinafter “Jenna”), in Star City, West Virginia.      The three of them then
    ____________________________________________
    * Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
    1 See 18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 4117(a)(3), 4906(b)(1).
    J-A09030-21
    drove to Moats’ and Jenna’s trailer near Bobtown, Pennsylvania. Sometime
    after midnight, Moats and James decided to go to an exotic dance club in
    Morgantown, West Virginia, and drove there in Jenna’s Ford Freestyle. Around
    2:30 a.m., after consuming several drinks and purchasing some dances, the
    two brothers left the club in Jenna’s Ford Freestyle with Moats driving the
    vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Moats crashed the vehicle in West Virginia on or
    near Exit 1 on Interstate 68. James was injured in the crash, and sustained
    multiple lacerations, contusions, and a concussion. Nevertheless, Moats and
    James fled from the scene of the crash up a hill to a nearby Ramada Inn,
    where they attempted to call relatives to request a ride. Ultimately, Jenna’s
    brother, Cody Obrad, and his girlfriend, Courtney Slavensky, picked up the
    brothers in the Ramada Inn parking lot. The four of them then drove to the
    Star City Sheetz, purchased some items, and thereafter dropped off James at
    his residence. After dropping off James, Courtney Slavensky and Cody Obrad
    drove to Moats’ trailer.   Jenna was awake at the time, and saw Courtney
    Slavensky and Cody Obrad come into the trailer and stay briefly before they
    left to drive to their home.
    Meanwhile, in the early morning hours of May 5, 2018, the Monongalia
    County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a crashed vehicle on
    Interstate 68 at or near Exit 1. Deputy Ethan Mongold responded to the scene
    and discovered the crashed Ford Freestyle around mile marker 1 on Interstate
    68. Also on May 5, 2018, the Pennsylvania State Police received a report of
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    a stolen vehicle from Jenna.     That afternoon, Trooper Kristina Daerr was
    dispatched to the Moats/Obrad trailer in response to Jenna’s stolen vehicle
    report. When she arrived, she interviewed Moats and Jenna. In the presence
    of Moats, Jenna told the trooper that she had parked her Ford Freestyle in its
    designated spot in front of their trailer at approximately midnight the previous
    night and that when she woke up at 11:30 a.m. the next morning, it was gone.
    Jenna further stated that she had left her keys, wallet, four hundred dollars,
    and her marriage license inside the vehicle. Jenna also told the trooper that
    she did not know who would have taken the vehicle.           The trooper then
    interviewed Moats, who, in Jenna’s presence, confirmed that the vehicle was
    parked outside the residence at approximately midnight the night before and,
    when he woke up the next morning at 11:30 a.m., it was gone. Moats also
    provided the VIN and the temporary registration information for the vehicle,
    and indicated that he did not know who would have taken it. Later that same
    day, Jenna filed a claim with her insurance company, GEICO, claiming that
    her vehicle was stolen.
    After leaving the Moats/Obrad trailer, Trooper Daerr reported the vehicle
    as stolen with the NCIC/CLEAN system used by police departments to track
    stolen vehicles, and thereafter discovered that the vehicle had been reported
    as recovered after being involved in a crash in West Virginia. Trooper Daerr
    then called Jenna to inform her of this development, and again asked if she
    knew who took the vehicle. Jenna again indicated that she did not know who
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    would have taken the vehicle, and confirmed that she had filed a claim with
    GEICO.
    After James was dropped off at his residence following the crash, he was
    taken to the hospital, where he spent the remainder of the morning and part
    of the afternoon of May 5, 2018. While at the hospital, James communicated
    to Moats through text messages that he told the doctors at the hospital the
    truth about what had happened. Moats became upset, and texted James that
    he “could’ve lied to the doctors that [James] could’ve been in a four-wheeler
    accident, that [James] could’ve been anything else besides that [James] was
    in car crash with [Moats].” N.T., 2/26/20, at 88, 93-94. James additionally
    told his doctors that he was a passenger in the vehicle that crashed, and that
    his brother was also in the car accident.
    On May 7, 2018, Trooper Daerr again met with Jenna and Moats at the
    State Police Barracks. There, Jenna gave a written statement indicating that
    she and Moats parked the car near their trailer around midnight, went to bed
    at 12:30 a.m., and she fell asleep around 1:30 a.m. Jenna further indicated
    that, when she woke the next morning at 11:40 a.m., the car was missing.
    Jenna asserted that she believed James was the one who took the vehicle, but
    conceded that it could have been possible that Moats left without her knowing.
    The trooper then interviewed Moats, who indicated that he was “99 percent
    sure his brother [James] had taken the vehicle.” Id. at 311. When Trooper
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    Daerr spoke to Moats again on May 9, 2018, he indicated that he had spoken
    to James on the phone, and that James would not admit to taking the vehicle.
    Upon receipt of the insurance claim submission, GEICO representative
    Ross Lockhart attempted to meet with Jenna to complete her claim. Lockhart
    attempted to contact Jenna by phone several times, and stopped by her
    residence to speak with her, but she did not answer his calls and was not
    home when he stopped there.        On May 7, 2018, Trooper Daerr contacted
    GEICO and indicated that she was investigating a stolen vehicle claim. On
    May 8, 2018, approximately three days after Jenna submitted the stolen
    vehicle insurance claim, she called Geico and withdrew the claim. Lockhart
    made other unsuccessful attempts to contact Jenna and then closed his claim
    file on June 4, 2018.
    Based on her investigation, Trooper Daerr suspected that Moats and
    Jenna had lied about the vehicle being stolen and filed charges against them
    for insurance fraud and making false reports to law enforcement. Moats filed
    a motion for habeas corpus relief on the basis that the Commonwealth lacked
    sufficient evidence to support the charges against him.        The trial court
    conducted pretrial hearings on the motion on July 2, 2019, August 1, 2019,
    and February 26-27, 2020, before denying the motion.
    The matter proceeded to joint trial against Moats and Jenna in February
    2020.     The Commonwealth presented the testimony of several witnesses,
    including James, Courtney Slavensky, Cody Obrad, Deputy Mongold, Lockhart,
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    and Trooper Daerr.        Moats presented the testimony of Shala Obrad and
    Madison Obrad.2 At the conclusion of trial, the jury found Moats and Jenna
    guilty of the charges against them. Moats filed post-trial motions which the
    trial court denied. On June 5, 2020, the trial court sentenced Moats to one to
    twenty-three and one-half months for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud
    and one year of concurrent probation for false reports to law enforcement
    authorities. Moats filed a timely notice of appeal and both Moats and the trial
    court complied with Pa.R.A.P. 1925.
    Moats raises the following issues for our review:
    1. The court committed reversible error when it denied [Moats’]
    motion for habeas corpus relief to have the charge of insurance
    fraud dismissed by orders dated July 2, August 1 and
    September 10, 2019, and named [Moats] as the driver of
    [Jenna’s] vehicle, which was based upon the perjured
    testimony of [James].
    2. [Moats] challenges the sufficiency of the evidence indicating
    that there was a lack of evidence connecting [Moats], with the
    [GEICO] insurance claim.
    3. Did the court commit reversible error by permitting the
    Commonwealth to infer conspiracy between husband and wife
    when aware that a key prosecution witness had committed
    perjury, that a law enforcement officer had supported that
    witness’s lack of truthfulness, that another witness had
    provided a statement from [James] admitting to driving the
    ____________________________________________
    2 Madison Obrad testified that James had sent her a Snapchat indicating that
    he was the driver of Jenna’s vehicle when it crashed. However, Trooper Daerr
    testified that Madison told her that this information was relayed to Madison in
    a phone call with James after the accident. Madison did not bring her phone
    with her to trial, and was therefore unable to produce the alleged Snapchat
    communication with James.
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    vehicle on the night in question and had presented that
    evidence to the state trooper who chose to ignore it?
    4. [Moats] asserts prosecutorial misconduct utilizing the perjured
    testimony of [James] to establish that [Moats] was the driver
    of the vehicle, supporting the charge of insurance fraud, and
    by referencing concerted efforts by [Jenna] and [Moats] in the
    closing argument without documentary or testimonial evidence
    from the Geico representative and the State Trooper to support
    it.
    5. Did the court commit reversible error by failing to provide an
    instruction for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud for
    [Moats] who was charged under Title 18 Section 903(c),
    knowing [James] had committed perjury in both the pre-trial
    habeas corpus hearing and at trial?
    6. Did the court commit reversible error when it denied [Moats’]
    post[-]trial motions, in arrest of judgment, judgment non
    obstante verdicto and for a new trial due to a lack of reasonable
    grounds on which the jury could have reached its verdict, in
    light of the documentary and testimonial evidence, including
    perjured testimony, placed before the jury?
    Moats’ Brief at unnumbered 3-5 (unnecessary capitalization omitted, issues
    reordered for ease of disposition).
    In his first issue, Moats challenges the trial court’s denial of his pretrial
    motion for habeas corpus relief. However, this is not an appealable issue.
    Like a preliminary hearing, the purpose of a pretrial habeas corpus petition is
    to test the Commonwealth’s ability to establish a prima facie case. As this
    Court has explained:
    The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to avoid the
    incarceration or trial of a defendant unless there is sufficient
    evidence to establish a crime was committed and the probability
    the defendant could be connected with the crime. Its purpose is
    not to prove the defendant's guilt. Once appellant has gone to
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    trial and been found guilty of the crime, any defect in the
    preliminary hearing is rendered immaterial.
    Commonwealth v. Tyler, 
    587 A.2d 326
    , 328 (Pa. Super. 1991).               Stated
    differently, “[a]n adjudication of guilt renders moot any allegation that the
    Commonwealth failed to establish a prima facie case." Commonwealth v.
    Lee, 
    662 A.2d 645
    , 650 (Pa. 1995); see also Commonwealth v.
    McCullough, 
    501 Pa. 423
    , 
    461 A.2d 1229
    , 1231 (Pa. 1983) (holding that the
    failure to establish a prima facie case at a preliminary hearing is clearly
    immaterial where at the trial the Commonwealth met its burden by proving
    the offense beyond a reasonable doubt).        Accordingly, Moats’ challenge to
    denial of his habeas petition is moot. Moreover, Moats concedes that “the
    judge did not commit reversible error with his decision in the habeas corpus
    proceeding.” Moats’ Brief at unnumbered 24. Accordingly, Moat’s challenge
    to the trial court’s habeas corpus ruling entitles him to no relief.
    In his second issue, Moats challenges the sufficiency of the evidence
    supporting his convictions. Importantly, if an appellant wishes to preserve a
    claim that the evidence was insufficient to support the verdict, the Pa.R.A.P.
    1925(b) concise statement must specify the element or elements upon which
    he claims that the evidence was insufficient.         See Commonwealth v.
    Williams, 
    959 A.2d 1252
    , 1257 (Pa. Super. 2008).           Such specificity is of
    particular importance in cases where, as here, the appellant was convicted of
    multiple crimes each of which contains more than one element that the
    Commonwealth       must    prove    beyond    a   reasonable     doubt.     See
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    Commonwealth v. Gibbs, 
    981 A.2d 274
    , 281 (Pa. Super. 2009). When a
    concise statement does not specify the allegedly unproven elements, the
    sufficiency issue is waived on appeal. Williams, 
    959 A.2d at 1257
    .
    Here, Moats was convicted of insurance fraud and making false reports
    to law enforcement authorities, each of which contains more than one
    element. In his concise statement, Moats styled his sufficiency challenge as
    follows:
    [t]he sufficiency of the evidence presented by the Commonwealth
    was inadequate to sustain a conviction, based upon testimony of
    the [GEICO] representative, cross-examination of [James],
    testimony of Trooper Da[err] and Madison Obrad, confirming
    perjury of [James], and a lack of evidence pertaining to [Moats]
    and [GEICO].
    Concise Statement, 7/22/20, at unnumbered 2.
    Moats failed to indicate in his concise statement whether he was
    challenging the sufficiency of the evidence supporting both of his convictions
    or only one of his convictions. Moreover, Moats failed to identify the elements
    of insurance fraud and/or false reports upon which he alleged the evidence
    was insufficient.       Accordingly, due to these defects in Moats’ concise
    statement, his sufficiency challenge is waived.3
    ____________________________________________
    3 We note that the Commonwealth failed to object to the aforementioned
    defects in Moats’ concise statement. We also note that the trial court
    superficially addressed Moats’ sufficiency challenge in its Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a)
    opinion. However, the Commonwealth’s failure to object and the presence of
    a trial court opinion addressing the issue are of no moment to our analysis
    because we apply Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) in a predictable, uniform fashion, and not
    (Footnote Continued Next Page)
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    In his third issue, Moats contends that the trial court committed
    reversible error by permitting the prosecution to commit prosecutorial
    misconduct by inferring, during his closing arguments, that there was a
    conspiracy between Moats and Jenna.
    We must first determine whether Moats has properly preserved this
    issue for appellate review.        Our Supreme Court has held that in order to
    preserve a claim of prosecutorial misconduct for appellate review, a defendant
    must raise a contemporaneous objection before the trial court, and then
    request either a mistrial or curative instructions. See Commonwealth v.
    Powell, 
    956 A.2d 406
    , 423 (Pa. 2008); see also Commonwealth v. Jones,
    
    460 A.2d 739
    , 741 (Pa. 1983) (holding that, even where defense counsel
    immediately objected to the prosecutor’s conduct, a claim of prosecutorial
    misconduct is waived where defense counsel failed to request mistrial or
    curative instructions)
    Here, Moats failed to direct this Court to the place in the record where
    he preserved his claim in the trial court by raising an objection to the
    purported prosecutorial misconduct, and by thereafter moving for a mistrial
    or a curative instruction. See Pa.R.A.P. 2119(e) (statement of place of raising
    ____________________________________________
    in a selective manner dependent on an appellee’s argument or a trial court’s
    choice to address an unpreserved claim. Williams, 
    959 A.2d at 1257
    . Thus,
    we find Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) waiver where appropriate despite the lack of
    objection by an appellee and despite the presence of a trial court opinion
    addressing a sufficiency claim. 
    Id.
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    or preservation of issues). Moreover, this Court has reviewed the portion of
    the notes of testimony cited by Moats as containing the objectionable
    comments, and found no place therein where Moats’ counsel raised any
    objection to the prosecutor’s comments or moved for a mistrial or curative
    instruction. Thus, Moats failed to preserve his third issue for our review.
    In his fourth issue, Moats alleges further prosecutorial misconduct.
    Moats contends that “[t]he prosecution was clearly placed on notice that there
    were serious issues of false testimony but did not act positively to address it.”
    Moats’ Brief at unnumbered 21.        Moats claims that his brother, James,
    provided false testimony that Moats was the driver of Jenna’s car at the time
    of the crash. Moats maintains, without explanation, that the falsity of James’
    testimony was brought forward by Deputy Mongold and Madison Obrad. Moats
    contends that “[t]he prosecutor was sitting at his table when all of this
    evidence came out” and “had a duty to address the contradictory nature of
    [James’] testimony and the testimony of the Trooper who sat on the truth,
    doing nothing about it, until it was revealed at trial.” 
    Id.
     at unnumbered 20,
    21.
    Moats provides no authority for his claim that the prosecutor had a “duty
    to act” on his behalf based on the contradictory nature of a witness’ testimony.
    See Pa.R.A.P. 2119(a) (providing that the appellant’s brief shall include “a
    discussion and citation of authorities as are deemed pertinent”). Moreover,
    Moats fails to direct this Court to the place in the record where he preserved
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    this particular claim in the trial court by objecting to the prosecutor’s conduct
    and either moving for a mistrial or requesting a curative instruction based on
    such conduct. See Pa.R.A.P. 2117(c); see also Powell, 956 A.2d at 423;
    Jones, 460 A.2d at 741. Thus, Moats failed to preserve his fourth issue for
    our review.
    In his fifth issue, Moats claims that the trial court erred by failing to
    instruct the jury on conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. “Our standard of
    review when considering the denial of jury instructions is one of deference --
    an appellate court will reverse a court’s decision only when it abused its
    discretion or committed an error of law.” Commonwealth v. DeMarco, 
    809 A.2d 256
    , 260-61 (Pa. 2002).
    In reviewing a challenge to the trial court’s refusal to give a specific jury
    instruction, we are mindful of the following principles:
    [I]t is the function of this [C]ourt to determine whether the
    record supports the trial court’s decision. In examining the
    propriety of the instructions a trial court presents to a jury, our
    scope of review is to determine whether the trial court committed
    a clear abuse of discretion or an error of law which controlled the
    outcome of the case. A jury charge will be deemed erroneous only
    if the charge as a whole is inadequate, not clear or has a tendency
    to mislead or confuse, rather than clarify, a material issue. A
    charge is considered adequate unless the jury was palpably misled
    by what the trial judge said or there is an omission which is
    tantamount to fundamental error. Consequently, the trial court
    has wide discretion in fashioning jury instructions. The trial court
    is not required to give every charge that is requested by the
    parties and its refusal to give a requested charge does not require
    reversal unless the appellant was prejudiced by that refusal.
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    Commonwealth v. Brown, 
    911 A.2d 576
    , 582-83 (Pa. Super. 2006)
    (quotation marks omitted).
    Defendants are generally entitled to instructions that they have
    requested and that are supported by the evidence. See Commonwealth v.
    Hairston, 
    84 A.3d 657
    , 668 (Pa. 2014). However, “[i]nstructions regarding
    matters which are not before the court or which are not supported by the
    evidence serve no purpose other than to confuse the jury.” Commonwealth
    v. Patton, 
    936 A.2d 1170
    , 1176 (Pa. Super. 2007). Thus, “[a] trial court
    shall only instruct on an offense where the offense has been made an issue in
    the case and where the trial evidence reasonably would support such a
    verdict.” Commonwealth v. Browdie, 
    671 A.2d 668
    , 673-74 (Pa. 1996).
    The reason for this rule is that instructing the jury on legal principles that
    cannot rationally be applied to the facts presented at trial may confuse them
    and place obstacles in the path of a just verdict. See Hairston, 84 A.3d at
    668.
    Moats contends that the trial court erred by refusing to instruct the jury
    on the charge of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. According to Moats,
    he was charged with insurance fraud, but “[s]ometimes, it was referred to as
    conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.”        Moats’ Brief at unnumbered 17.
    Moats claims that he wanted a jury instruction on conspiracy to commit
    insurance fraud because there was no evidence that he and Jenna conspired
    to submit an insurance claim to GEICO. Moats claims that the prosecutor
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    suggested in a sidebar that Moats had conspired with Jenna, but asserts that
    “the subject had been debunked by . . . the [GEICO] representative and the
    testimony of Trooper Daerr.” Id. at unnumbered 18 (citations to the record
    omitted).
    As explained above, the trial court shall only instruct on an offense
    where the offense has been made an issue in the case and where the trial
    evidence reasonably would support such a verdict. See Browdie, 671 A.2d
    at 673-74.    Here, Moats was not charged with criminal conspiracy.      Thus,
    conspiracy to commit insurance fraud was not an issue in the case.
    Moreover, Moats concedes that there was no trial evidence that would
    support a criminal charge that he conspired with Jenna to submit the insurance
    claim to GEICO.     Thus, an instruction regarding conspiracy to commit
    insurance fraud would have served no purpose other than to confuse the jury.
    See Patton, 
    936 A.2d at 1176
    . Accordingly, the trial court did not err in
    declining Moats’ request for such an instruction, and Moats’ fifth issue merits
    no relief.
    In his final issue, Moats contends that the trial court committed
    reversible error by denying his post-trial motions for judgment non obstante
    verdicto based on lack of reasonable grounds, and for an arrest of judgment.
    Initially, we observe that the court procedure of entering a judgment
    non obstante veredicto does not extend to criminal prosecutions.          See
    Commonwealth v. Blassingale, 
    581 A.2d 183
    , 191 (Pa. Super. 1990);
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    J-A09030-21
    Commonwealth v. Wright, 
    119 A.2d 492
     (Pa. 1956). Thus, the trial court
    properly denied Moats’ request for a judgment non obstante veredicto.
    When ruling on a motion in arrest of judgment, a trial court is limited to
    ascertaining “the absence or presence of that quantum of evidence necessary
    to establish the elements of the crime. At this stage in the proceedings, the
    trial court is limited to rectifying trial errors, and cannot make a
    redetermination of credibility and weight of the evidence.” Commonwealth
    v. Marquez, 
    980 A.2d 145
    , 147-48 (Pa. Super. 2009) (en banc).
    This Court’s standard of review of the trial court’s ruling on a motion for
    arrest of judgment is as follows:
    the sufficiency of the evidence must be evaluated upon the entire
    trial record. All of the evidence must be read in the light most
    favorable to the Commonwealth and it is entitled to all reasonable
    inferences arising therefrom. The effect of such a motion is to
    admit all the facts which the Commonwealth’s evidence tends to
    prove.
    Commonwealth v. Melechio, 
    658 A.2d 1385
    , 1387 (Pa. Super. 1995)
    (citations omitted) (emphasis in original). Hence, we must determine whether
    the evidence admitted at trial, as well as all reasonable inferences drawn
    therefrom, is sufficient to support all elements of the offense.            See
    Commonwealth v. Moreno, 
    14 A.3d 133
     (Pa. Super. 2011).
    As explained above, a person commits the offense of insurance fraud
    when he or she
    [k]nowingly and with the intent to defraud any insurer or self-
    insured, assists, abets, solicits or conspires with another to
    prepare or make any statement that is intended to be presented
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    J-A09030-21
    to any insurer or self-insured in connection with, or in support of,
    a claim that contains any false, incomplete or misleading
    information concerning any fact or thing material to the claim,
    including information which documents or supports an amount
    claimed in excess of the actual loss sustained by the claimant.
    18 Pa.C.S.A. § 4117(a)(3).
    A person commits the offense of false reports to law enforcement
    authorities when he or she “reports to law enforcement authorities an offense
    or other incident within their concern knowing that it did not occur.” See 18
    Pa.C.S.A. § 4906(b)(1).
    Moats contends that the Commonwealth failed to prove that there had
    been conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.            Moats additionally points to
    several “problems” with the verdict, including “Lockhart’s testimony,” the use
    of “testimony from a key witness who had multiple instances which supported
    his untruthfulness from other witnesses and established that he was seriously
    intoxicated and had suffered a concussion,” and “side-bar discussions about
    how the prosecutor could infer discussions about conspiracy between husband
    and wife, mostly because they slept in the same bed the night of the incident.”
    Moats’ Brief at unnumbered 12.             Moats also claims that a new trial4 is
    warranted because “Trooper Daerr was aware of the issues of truthfulness
    surrounding James . . ., but deliberately chose to ignore it” and “[t]here is no
    ____________________________________________
    4 A new trial is warranted when the verdict is against the weight of the
    evidence. See Commonwealth v. Meadows, 
    369 A.2d 1266
    , 1270 (Pa.
    1977). Moats has not argued in this appeal that the verdict is against the
    weight of the evidence. Thus, this remedy is unavailable to him.
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    J-A09030-21
    evidence to suggest that [the trooper] pointed out the anomalies to the
    prosecutor, although he chose to ignore them during his closing.”         
    Id.
     at
    unnumbered 13.
    As explained above, Moats was not charged with criminal conspiracy;
    thus, the Commonwealth was not required to prove that there had been
    conspiracy between Moats and Jenna to commit insurance fraud. Therefore,
    the trial court could not grant Moats an arrest of judgment on that basis.
    Moreover, when ruling on a post-verdict motion for arrest of judgment,
    a trial court may not reconcile contradictions and discrepancies in trial
    testimony. See Commonwealth v. Melechio, 
    658 A.2d 1385
    , 1388-89 (Pa.
    Super. 1995). Nor can the trial court make a redetermination of credibility
    and weight of the evidence when considering a motion for arrest of judgment.
    See Marquez, 
    980 A.2d at 147-48
    .         Accordingly, while Moats claims that
    there was some evidence that James was untruthful, the trial court was unable
    to grant his motion for arrest of judgment on that basis.
    Having identified no basis on which to challenge the sufficiency of the
    evidence supporting his convictions, we conclude that Moats’ challenge to the
    trial court’s denial of his motion for arrest of judgment warrants no relief.
    Judgment of sentence affirmed.
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    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 9/2/2021
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Document Info

Docket Number: 661 WDA 2020

Judges: Kunselman

Filed Date: 9/2/2021

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 11/21/2024