Com. v. Keyton, A.

J-S09037-15
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA
Appellee
v.
ANTHONY ALLEN KEYTON,
Appellant No. 1469 WDA 2014
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence entered August 28, 2014,
in the Court of Common Pleas of Fayette County,
Criminal Division, at No(s): CP-26-CR-0001993-2013
BEFORE: FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E., BOWES, and ALLEN, JJ.
MEMORANDUM BY ALLEN, J.: FILED FEBRUARY 11, 2015
Anthony Allen Keyton (“Appellant”) appeals from the judgment of
sentence imposed after a jury convicted him of theft by unlawful taking of
movable property pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3921(a), and the trial court
sentenced him to three (3) to twenty-four (24) months in prison. We affirm
on the basis of the trial court opinion.
On September 5, 2014, Appellant filed a timely post-sentence motion
which the trial court denied on September 9, 2014. Appellant filed a timely
appeal. Both Appellant and the trial court have complied with Pa.R.A.P.
1925.
Appellant presents two issues for our review:
1. DID THE COMMONWEALTH FAIL TO PROVE THAT
[APPELLANT] REMOVED TOOLS FROM THE KLONDIKE BLOCK
WITH THE INTENT TO DEPRIVE THE LAWFUL OWNER OF HIS
PROPERTY[?]
J-S09037-15
2. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN DENYING [APPELLANT’S]
POST SENTENCE MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL AS THE VERDICT
WAS AGAINST THE WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE BECAUSE THE
JURY CONSIDERED ONLY [APPELLANT’S] PRIOR CONVICTION
AND FAILED TO CONSIDER THAT [APPELLANT] BRIEFLY
BORROWED THE TOOLS AND INTENDED TO RETURN THEM THE
FOLLOWING AFTERNOON[?]
Appellant’s Brief at 7.
After thorough review of the record, including the notes of testimony
from the August 6-7, 2014 jury trial, we find that the October 21, 2014
Opinion authored by the Honorable Joseph M. George, Jr., sitting as the trial
court, capably disposes of Appellant’s claims. Judge George has accurately
detailed the facts, with citations to the notes of testimony, and cited
prevailing legal authority applicable to Appellant’s claims, such that further
commentary by this Court would be redundant. Accordingly, we adopt
Judge George’s October 21, 2014 Opinion as our own in affirming the
judgment of sentence.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 2/11/2015
-2-
I~ THE COURT OF r~Ol\ITVIr N PLEAS OF FAYETTE COUNTY,
PE JNSYL VAl TLt.,.
-'OMTvr 1 'WEALTH Opt FE T\J YLVrLr-..JIA, : GRIMINAL A "TIO~
v.
I qq ")
.' _'THONY . rEY'TON, : CasE' l'.io, 1,m of 2013
Defendant/ ~ppel1aJ t.
_ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ : IT GE .JO EPH l'vL GEOR iE. ,lit
A TTO RNEY A?\D LAW FIRMS
Jennifer Casini, Esquire. AS3istant Dl~ trlL't Attorney. For the Commonwealth
Ruhert Harper. Bsqujrc . ..-\3sist.ant Public Defender, For the DefendcmllA.ppellanl
OPINION
UE RGE. T. Ocwuer 20. 2014
Follovvmg i:l t.rial by jury, App 11· nt, .. nthony A. Keyton, was found guilty of
theft by unla wful t.aki.ng. movable pl'opc:rty.l On AUgl sL 38, 2014· tilt.: Court .;entenc'~d
Appellant Lo a term of lmpri.30nml:'nt to run no" les::,; than three (3) months nul' mol'
th an twenty-f ur (:-24) months. Appellant filed a t.irnehr po,- t-sentence illr ion and che
Court denipd same. He filed a Cll1'8C.[; appe:allo Lhe Superior Court fir Penn ylvania.
Thi.:: OpinlOll is in ~ upport f the verdict of the jury.
I
Appell Clnt riled th ~ following' t.at rn m of Errol'.· Complained of on Appeal :
1 \Py'a s the v~nlict against the weigll t of :he I?vldence b~cau3e the Commonweal h
failed to prove T,hc..[ the defendant removed toot: frOln the Klor.dike Blol;k with the
intent to c1epr:ve the lawful owner uf his pl'opei't . '1
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n Did the Trial ~ourL err in dEnYing Defendan t'_ po~t entence mutIOn for a new
trial ,L thE:' verdict wa~ against Ule weigh~ of the eviclenc:e because the Jury
il11.pJ'! pedy , nSldeY'ed only the defendant's prior convichon and faileJ to consider
that the defenda.nt brieOy horrowed the 001'" and intended to return them the
fo Uowing afternoon.
FACTS
,Jobn H.. SexLon j the ownE:'r of Klondili· Block ("Klondik >' , a Fayette County
busine:s Jocated at 645 Atlas Road, Hopwt) d, Pennsylvania. (T,T. p. 28'1. KlondIke
f~lhrl at.es a p rbcular tYPl! of coorrer -like block utilized in minln 0p'jraLion.:_ (T,T.
p. 12, 14). Tu handle various stage..: n ']ug1stics, conatructioll, and leanup . rlondil.e
emplny~ approxim~ttely eight J.H:'f'ons - fuur 11lachine l'pBratoY' , two laborer3, a
superintendent. anct Mr. Sexton, (T.T, pp. i3, 17 37).
Klondike occupies a 1arge facility: rougbly 11,000 square feeL which include£
tr1P areas of msuufac::tm" , and th~ inner and outer offices. (T.T, pp. 16). Work gen~ral1:y
commenel.:::' around 7:00 a.m. and varie depending upon the nature of tl e position
each employee occupies. (T.T. pp, 13. 14). Mr. Sexton; Ml', Robert Higinbotham, the
superintendent; and the opel'aturs typically tinish working around 8:30 p.UL, lea\'mg
the-laborers to clean t.h m1xirlg rna 'hines untiJ about t1:3U p.m (T.T. pp, 13, 1 ,40,
During normal hours, all employee have perIDl"Slon t,o move f;tbout mo::;t of Lb~
pr ml e . inc1udillg the outer o[fic where t.hey dock into and out of work a ld when'
some l1lar.Arlal ~ me stored. (T.T. pp, W, IS), Vhth the ex~eption oflYIr. Sexton and M1'.
Eigin botham, no employee may ent.er the llmer' offi '8 without permIssion, (T.T, pp.
lG-17), SHm on rh_ donl' lndicate...: that llO employees may en e', (T T. p. 17).
PcrmLSlOn 1;3 (111b' rarel.Y gi.\'en to those !2ruplo.'Cles needing t.O U2e he phone, (T.T 1.),
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41), The office- a['88 is separate from the rest of Lb _ facility: the only mean, of entrance
tlnd exi r 16 a door 10CDtE:d wlthm the ou tel' office. (T.T . p, 31),
SUfl'til1g in laLE:' .July 2(1~:3, Klondtkt:? employed Apl)ellant as a laborer. (T.T p.
29). Laborers are primarily I'8sponsible [or' post-lIlanufaclul'1'l cleanup of the mixmg
machines. ('1'.'1. p, 13-1-1), Tbey are not eXPGcted nor instruct.ed 0 fix machinas using
any tools available at Klondike 01 r)thel'wi e. fT.T. p . 28). Of the em}Jloyees who are
task~d to fi.'I: the machines. none are permitted to ret,rl8VE: them from the inner office;
rather , they are retrieved as needed by Mr. Higinbotbam. (T.T. p . 37. :3 l.
In the vveeks following Appellant'8 employment, several items went missing,
pres limed 8[(1]811: froID. the Clut,er office ar'H (T.T. p. lS. 45·46), In response, Me
Sexton positiun ed a "trail camera." one normally used in wild gam e hunring. a r
diffeTl~nt times and in differ n area3 l)f the Klondike premis 'so (T.T. pp, 18, U1). NIl'.
Sexton only infCJymed Mr. Higinbo ham of the camera's use and locations. (T.T. p. ~ 8l.
00 or abou.t August 21, 201.3, Mr. ~'t:;xtl)n positioned the camera 'Ii itbin tOE:
outer om P. with a view toward the mner CJilice. (T .T, p, 20). The next day. he and Mr.
Higinbotham reviewed the v'1deo, which howed Appellant l'omi.ng from tbe clireetion
c
of tile: inner office. l11llv1ng thnttgh the outer ocfice. and leaving the building with a
box they recognized as b "longing ttl Klondike and containing several hlll1drecl cloll&fs'
worth of hand tooL, (T.T. pp. 33-35) .'2
Those ',0 is and othoc were kept underneath a Ilesk Wlthm. t.he illl1el' office.
(T.T. pp. :31, 3:3) . A.ppellant never TeLPlved permission to borrow ny tool~. (T.T. pp. L
:!Til,:: p"rtll"s .~t.: p QiaH',-l TO the "ideo's au,hentiotv and tJlowed. the JUt'} to ruview hE same (T.T 0
21 .'2'2. )
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25· .... 6). ppeUant did not return the WCIl..,; the next day or mak a llY mention aboLl~
having borrowed tl em. ('LT. p. 27 .
M1' Sexl.on immediately comacted the Pennsyl aniiol S~ate POllce CP P''). (T,T
p. 20) P-'P Trooper cTe"slca Zangla rC.3f1ond d tu th ' C8 n (T,T. p. 4.9). After reviewing
the -ViClj~O. Tl'ooper ZangJa HITt:St.t7cl Appel'am, prtlv icl(~cl him a IVfirunda warning. and
placed him in the back of her puJir'e crui 'E'l'. (T.'l. pp_ 5: -5::!). On the way to P P
barracks, Appellant admitLt:d to taking the tGlJls, but claimed to have borrowed the
sarn(.;. (T.T. p. E4L The jury wa.~ permItted tv hear reullctal testimony concerninlY
AI pellanfs 2011 conviction for the crime of' Theft fly Unla wful Taking. (T.T , p. 2) .
&\.ppdlant te~ltifi·'d in his (l~fe-n e. flS dld hi.::- fat.her, Mr. Carl Hlbni. cky.
According t.o them, A 1 - elJant uwr ly bOrI'uw8d the coolS t,o change Lhe axle of Ml'.
Rilmiscly s vehi.clE.!. (1'_T. J.IP. 62·63, 7~· -;- 4), Doth t~stifl d 1.0 the prOL.:edure of changm
an axle, and lVI.I'. Ribnjscky claimed that the necessary tOlJls were the type Appellant
removed from Klondike. IT.'\'. pp. 6:3; see T.T. tJ· 24). Appe1lant add d thaL he has
mechame expL!rience. ('r,T. p. '72,. Appellant a1s(\ claimed he wa.o: fully aware of the
camera whi\:h Mr. L IJxton had placed in the olltel' office. (1'.T_ p. 72).
Aft,er the WOl k. wa~ cOlUp1eted.. Appellant "tured the tools m his home. (T.'I'. p.
75). I-lowe er, App Bane did not TetlU'n fhe t ols. the next day, wh-ich was the same
day he W· E arre::.ted. ('1',T. p, 66). Appellant c!aune,-l to havE' ruerdy iorgotten tlf'
to L. i:r he was running l~te for w()rk. (T.T. p. 7,5). Mr. Ribnl -'c1\y retUrned the tool::
folJowing Appellant ~ arrl\~t. rI.T. IJ· 27, 6, ). Even a.fter tlL tools were Y Jt1..rned, Mr.
Sexton te:--tifierl th t cC?rtain teol:; \Ve1'e 111is~ing from the box. (T.T. p. 35·36).
_-\ppellant and l\ir. Ribni2cky denied th:1.t any Lnol were mL, ing (T.T. pp. (56, 7{~).
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DISCUS, 10K
Appellant's alJ egeu err'Of" address both the sufficiency and weigbt of the
;:vidence .. \ccordingly, it 1S nec e~sary
to delineat.e r.he distillct!On~
between a claim c11allr:nging
the sufiir.iency of the evidenc~ and a daH!) that challenges
t.he weight of t.h _ evidenc ~. Th e distinc.LlI.1o betweeo h.?se
L WI') challenges is critical. A claim chaJlengio g the
8ufficiency llf thE> evidcne~, if granted would pr~clude
retrial under' the double jeopardy provi·'ivns f the Fifth
Am ndmem to the L·nited Stat~:,l Conp.titut)IJn, and r''l.rticle
T, ' ed.:inn 1L of the P8nn~ylvania Constitution: whl'Pr't.: a
daim challenging the wejght of the evidence i' granted
wo uld p rmit 3 second tnal.
Com. u. H'ldmer. 744 A.~d 7 /15. Tl (Pa. ~ono) \eitabon omittc=d).
". challenge tu the weight uf thE.: evidence, In conll'a~t tu 1:1 chaD 'nge to the
sufficienc.y of the evidellt', [al 'OJ conr'edes lhat there is ~Llfficient "v:idt:mce to su_taw
th· v8nhct. " Com, v, Smil.h, 5;3 A,2d 1030,102, (Pa. "'upel' ·It. 200tl).
I. SufficicIl .y of the EVIdence
Th. standaI'll uf review for a cb.ailellgl:' to the
sufficiency of the eV1Jc:nc is to cletf'rmine whether, when
vi_.wed In a light most favOl'ahle to the va·did winner, r,he
eVldence at lrial 8nd all reaSt nable llllcrences t.herefrom is
u!Iicient for the triur of fact to find th< L each ,~1 mcnt of
tht:: crimes charged is estabLisued br::yrtn l a feaL' tmable
doubt. 'rhe Comnwow ahb may uwtaiJl i.ts hurden of
proving 'vel'yelementheyond areasonabl d ubt hy meallS
of wholly cil'cumstan tLaL evidence
ThE: fada Bnd circumstance es~ablished by r;he
Commonw8a1tb need not pr8c1Llde every po.:;sibiliry of
mn cencl'. lilly clOll bt l'ai_ed as to the aceu.5edl~ guilt is tn
be resolved by t.he £act-flndoJf. [[n this contexL COU1'CS] do
n L sses' credibility u,)}' . .. a3sign WGight to any of th .
testjmon~\ f record. Therefore. We will not disturb the
verdict uf'Jess lhe evidence l~ so weak and lncollclusiY0
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that ~J8 a matter oflaw IlO probabilIty of fact may be drawn
froUl the combined circum tances.
Cnm. u. Vogelsong. 9(1 A.3d 711, 7]9 (Pa. Super. 't. 2014),
"A per60n is guilt· of theft [of movabie pl"uper yj if he unlawfully takes, or ex l'cioes
unlawful ontrol ov r. movable property of another with intent teo deprive 11im
~hereof" IL F'a.C.S. ~ 39~1(a). Tn con:::;ideJ'ing the subjectiv intent to deprive, thefact6
and circuillstances sLH'ro1.lnding the alleged depl'ivabnn are rehwant. Se Penn ·A.ir,
[17(; . v. lndem. Inc;. ('0. of N. A.m .• ~Li9 A.::d 1!=!. 23 \Pa. 197(1); Corn. u. Cnmpel. 344 A.2d
701, 704 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1975): Merkle u. Upper Dublin Sch. Dist., 211 F.3d 7,''2. 796
("- d"'"
CU' . ')""I.)(- 0 .'
TIle!'!..:: is no disput<: ill this cas!? concermng Appellant.'s unlawfu1 control o\'er
the tools. H huu n~iGber express nor Hn]Jli~d permis3ion to borrow the sam. or even
to enLer t.h.::, area wIler lhey were storpd. Rathei', . ppellant contends that t.he
eviuence wasjnsufficle.nl to d lUl1I1cltrate Appellant" lnLent t- deprive.
llr recitation of the facts abc,,,\? amply llemonstrCltes the" ufficiency Df the
evict 'nee c'.IDcerning Apll -I1£lnt's int.ent. In that Y8gard, the vidence "hilwcd tbat:
(1) Appellant knew he chd net havE: p>!rmission tu take the toot,; (2'1 Appellant took
ell tllob vvithouL permi.:::-ic1n. (2,) Appellant did not ret-ili"n tl18 tools: 4) App::!lianf;:,
father retGrned Lh tools al't.el' th -· Appeliant, was aTI'e::ted' an:l ,5) Several tool' were
nevel' retu Heu .
"'Th ~ Corun,onwealt.h ll81::U not preclud.e every possibility uf innocencp or
estabJi~ n the defendant. s gwJl t(l 6. mathematic,1 CeytaLot.y_ Th e trier uT rac~ 'tvl He
Pdssing ,pou t.he cr dibility of witne"2e~ and the weighr. of the eVldenc produced. is
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free to bellE've alL part or none oftb > evidence" Commonwealth t Williarns, 71 A.:2d
:!54, (Pa. Supel'. ~ 105).
The Jury. as t.rier Jf fact, mad tho ultimatt:' ctedibilir.)o determinatIOn as t.O the
inrent 01 the Appellant Rnd thty adod within chelf pr()vince when tbe~ eha e nmo
accept the defendanfs te-timony. Accordingly. a review of the evidence at tr' al
.reveals that there was sufficient reillb1e i::'\rldenC8 t Lrpport the Jury's vertnct.
II. vVeig'ht of the Evidence
An allegatiol1 that th~ verdict is a::ainst the weighc of th8
evidence i addres 'ed to t.he clli cr .'tion of the trial court. A
new trial ~hould not be ~ranted bec3.n 'P- of a mere conflict
in the tpstimoll. Ot b.=>cause the judge on the same facts
would. na\,'e arrived fir a difl'erent (;nnc1u ·'ion. A trial judge
must do more than rea::seS6 the credibility of }lB wit.ne. ses
8lid allege' that lle vruld not have f,?;;,3I?nted to the verdict
if he wore a Juror. Tria1 Judges. in reviewlng a claim t.bat
tl18 verdic.:t IS against the weight uf the evidence do not sit
as the lhirt{;'2nth JUf01'. Rather. the rule of tll~ enal judge is
to determine that ;'llClt\vithstanuing all the fact, Certa1l1
fa~ts are 0 c1e rly If greater wughr that tv ignore them or
to gjYD them egLHl] weight with all tht! facts i. to de.ny
justice."
Widmer, I-B A.~d at 751·5:! (citatlon omit.ted; aee Com.. u Betz, 064.: .2d 1)( U,
()(q (Pa. Super, Ct. 19911) ~weig-hl r/ ex 'ulpat lfy I?videll'e mU51: bl rk the court's "enc=.e
of justire). "fA] challenge to the weight of tbe e'viden'~ mu't bt' raised Ith th trial
jud 17 e or it 'Will be wai\red." l)u.RCnm.P . 607.
Wl' note tbat Appelli;mt Limely tll~d a O1I)bon f0r Dt'W trial, which is the
approrriat~ mean: to pr~serVt;· an alleg-~d error in the w~l rhL 1)£ t118 livirlenc::e.
HowE:'V '1'. the ;ourt believes that r.ht:: welgnL of th,: 8videllce t'avoL the iltTv' - finJml1b ~.I
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"A lkW tnal 1" warranted '.Jnly when tl1e jury's verd.ll:t is so contrary to [he
evidence that it shock2 one's sellse ofjust~c and the award of anew tnalls irnpera ive
so r.hat l'igh t may be given another upportunlLY to pt'8\'ail.' c.:omm,(I}w)PCllth u
A1.nraL,?s, 91 _ ,3d 20 (Pa , 2014)
A r view of he e\'1denct' presented at tl'lal demon~trates that the App,?lJanr
wa~ captured on video surveillancp rem(JviDg tbl:.'conls. Appl:;llant admitted he did DOl
have penni $10n to take tbe T(lnLs frrnn the owner and som ' of the tool were only
returned to he owner after Appellan was und13r ,rrre't for tht· theft of same. Tbe
jury a ._ fact finder ('ho e t.u dis l'egard thu testimony of the Appellant regarding hi~
m[en~_ 1'h8 Cou rt fi.nd~ that the jury verdi ~t is amply SUPf ort<:d by the eVlclt'l1cl-' an d
t.he ve,l"dict of guil~y does not shol'~;: thi..: urt's ;:;ense of ju ... tice,
\Vllere£,nl'e, it i' respectfully submitted that this appeal is v"ithotlt nH::rit and
sh u]d be llenIed,
ATTE'T;
, /
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'J' I' '"- .<.).~ ',.. J ,-' ,'~ -, ,')i..L 11
CLERK OF CI)UR.['£)
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