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Commonwealth v. Spells

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jan 28, 1977
368 A.2d 281 (Pa. 1977)

Opinion

Argued May 6, 1976.

Decided January 28, 1977.

Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Division, County of York, at No. 1556, October Sessions, 1974, Albert G. Blakey, III, J.

John C. Uhler, York, for appellant.

Donald L. Reihart, Dist. Atty., York, for appellee.

Before JONES, C. J., and EAGEN, O'BRIEN, ROBERTS, POMEROY, NIX and MANDERINO, JJ.


OPINION OF THE COURT


Appellant raises the following arguments on appeal: (1) the evidence was not sufficient to sustain the jury verdict of murder of the first degree; (2) the indictment was defective and should have been quashed; (3) appellant's statements to the police should have been suppressed; (4) the photographs of the victim should not have been admitted into evidence; (5) the trial court's instructions to the jury were inadequate; and (6) the verdict form submitted to the jury was prejudicial in that it put undue emphasis on murder of the first degree. Our review of the record satisfies us that these contentions are without merit.

Judgment of sentence affirmed.


Summaries of

Commonwealth v. Spells

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jan 28, 1977
368 A.2d 281 (Pa. 1977)
Case details for

Commonwealth v. Spells

Case Details

Full title:COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania v. Derek SPELLS, Appellant

Court:Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Date published: Jan 28, 1977

Citations

368 A.2d 281 (Pa. 1977)
368 A.2d 281

Citing Cases

Com. v. Spells

In May 1975 a jury found appellant guilty of murder of the first degree. Post-trial motions were filed and…