J-S09040-16
2016 PA Super 29
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA
Appellee
v.
MICHAEL DAVID ZRNCIC
Appellant No. 764 MDA 2015
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence March 30, 2015
in the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County
Criminal Division at No(s): CP-21-CR-0002531-2008
BEFORE: PANELLA, J., LAZARUS, J., and JENKINS, J.
OPINION BY JENKINS, J.: FILED FEBRUARY 09, 2016
Michael David Zrncic (“Appellant”) appeals pro se from the judgment
of sentence entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County on
March 30, 2015, following this Court’s January 29, 2015 remand. 1 We
vacate the judgment of sentence and remand the matter for further
proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Between February 14 and April 15, 2008, Appellant had inappropriate
contact with a 15-year-old female student at the karate school he owned.2
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1
Appellant purports to challenge the trial court’s April 10, 2015 denial of his
post-sentence motion for modification of the restitution imposed on March
30, 2015. Appellant actually appeals the restitution imposed, which is the
sentence, not the April 10, 2015 denial of his motion for modification of that
sentence. We have amended the caption to reflect the correct procedural
posture of this matter.
2
Appellant also taught high school mathematics.
J-S09040-16
This conduct included, inter alia, Appellant having the victim perform oral
sex on him. Appellant was 31 years old at the time. Police charged
Appellant with one count each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
(“IDSI”)3 and unlawful contact with a minor,4 two counts each of aggravated
indecent assault5 and corruption of minors,6 and three counts of indecent
assault.7 On November 24, 2008, the Commonwealth gave notice it would
proceed under the mandatory sentencing provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. § 9718
and seek a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence for IDSI and a five-year
mandatory minimum sentence for aggravated indecent assault.
On January 8, 2009, Appellant entered into a negotiated guilty plea to
one consolidated count of aggravated indecent assault with application of a
five-year mandatory minimum sentence. At sentencing on April 28, 2009,
the Commonwealth requested, and the trial court entered, an order ordering
restitution generally, but without a specific amount, with the understanding
the Commonwealth would later file a motion to modify the sentence to
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3
18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(7).
4
18 Pa.C.S. § 6318(a)(1).
5
18 Pa.C.S. § 3125(a)(8).
6
18 Pa.C.S. § 6301(a)(1).
7
18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(8).
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specify the amount of restitution owed. Accordingly, Appellant’s sentence
ordered restitution to be determined at a yet-to-be scheduled hearing.
The Commonwealth filed its Motion to Modify Restitution Pursuant to
18 Pa.C.S. § 1106(c)(3) (“Motion to Modify”) on May 11, 2009. On May 12,
2009, without conducting a hearing, the trial court modified Appellant’s
sentence to include restitution payable to the victim’s mother in the amount
of $2,598.14.8 The trial court order included a handwritten note that stated:
“If [Appellant] contests this order of restitution he should request a hearing
within 10 days of this date.” Order, May 12, 2009. Appellant did not
request a hearing, nor did he appeal the judgment of sentence.
On June 27, 2012, Appellant filed a pro se Motion for Correction of
Illegal Sentence asserting that a mandatory minimum sentence pursuant to
42 Pa.C.S. § 9718 was inapplicable to aggravated indecent assault, and
therefore his sentence was illegal.9 The trial court treated this motion as a
petition pursuant to the Post Conviction Relief Act (“PCRA”)10 and appointed
counsel, who filed an amended petition on November 30, 2012. The court
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8
The court based this figure on the cost of a replacement computer,
unreimbursed karate lessons, and unreimbursed counselling sessions for the
victim. See Motion to Modify, p. 2.
9
Appellant raised no issue regarding the restitution order in his June 27,
2012 Motion for Correction of Illegal Sentence.
10
42 Pa.C.S. § 9541-9546.
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held a hearing on January 23, 2013, and denied the petition on February 20,
2013. Appellant did not appeal this denial.
On December 2, 2013, after allegedly learning on November 18, 2013,
that his income was to be garnished due to outstanding restitution,
Appellant filed a pro se Motion for Modification of Sentence challenging the
legality of his sentence relating only to the amount of ordered restitution.
He filed an amended motion on January 2, 2014. On January 31, 2014, the
trial court treated the motion as a second PCRA petition, determined the
restitution issue was waived, and denied the petition as untimely. Appellant
filed a Motion for Reconsideration of Court’s Ruling on Restitution on
February 12, 2014, which the court denied on February 21, 2014. Appellant
filed a timely notice of appeal on February 28, 2014.
On January 29, 2015, this Court determined the trial court erred in
treating Appellant’s motion for modification as a PCRA petition and that the
court’s original sentence of restitution with the amount to be determined at
a future hearing was illegal. This Court reversed the trial court’s restitution
order and remanded, directing the trial court to conduct a new sentencing
hearing limited to the issue of restitution consistent with 18 Pa.C.S. § 1106
and relevant Pennsylvania case law.
The trial court conducted the new sentencing hearing on March 30,
2015, and ordered Appellant to pay restitution in the amount of $1,527.26
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to the Victims Compensation Assistance Program and $1,038.77 to the
victim.11 Appellant timely appealed.
Appellant raises the following issues for our review:
1. The trial court erred by assigning an initial amount of
restitution through a post-sentence hearing. Since the
Commonwealth failed to adhere to their responsibilities
delineated in § 1106(c)(3), a restitution amount was not
determined at sentencing, and the statute does not allow for an
amendment of restitution in such an instance. Thus the [c]ourt’s
April 10, 2015 ruling was violative of § 1106.
2. The trial court violated the Superior Court opinion filed
January 29, 2015 which specifically states that any new
restitution result must be compliant with § 1106.
3. The trial court erred by assigning restitution, as it is violative
of the general rule of § 1106. There was no damaged or altered
property as a direct result of the conviction offense, and there
was no personal injury as defined by this section.
4. The trial court erred in denying [Appellant] appointed counsel
during the sentencing phase of his trial, specifically during his
restitution hearing on March 30, 2015 where it became apparent
that [Appellant] would have to cross-examine a witness.
Appellant’s Brief, p. 6.
Initially, this Court addressed Appellant’s first two claims in its January
29, 2015 memorandum decision that remanded the matter to the trial court
to conduct a new sentencing hearing. See Commonwealth v. Zrncic, 420
MDA 2014 (unpublished memorandum), filed January 29, 2015, pp. 6-16
(determining proper remedy where trial court did not set definite restitution
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11
The trial court ordered Appellant to pay $150.00 per month towards
restitution, fines, and costs.
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amount at sentencing was to vacate trial court’s restitution order and
remand for new sentencing hearing pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. § 1106 and
relevant case law). We need not address these claims anew. See
Commonwealth v. Starr, 664 A.2d 1326, 1331-32 (Pa.1995) (noting the
“law of the case” doctrine embodies the concept that a court involved in the
later phases of a litigated matter should not reopen questions decided by
another judge of that same court or by a higher court in the earlier phases
of the matter).
We address Appellant’s fourth claim next, as it is dispositive.
Appellant argues he deserves a new sentencing hearing, as he was not
represented at the March 30, 2015 resentencing. See Appellant’s Brief, pp.
20-22. Appellant is correct.
Appellant’s claim presents a question of pure law. Accordingly, this
Court’s standard of review is de novo and our scope of review is plenary.
Commonwealth v. Williams, 84 A.3d 680, 684 (Pa.2014).
“The right to counsel is enshrined in both the United States and
Pennsylvania Constitutions. See U.S. Const. Amend. VI; Pa. Const. Art. 1, §
9.” Commonwealth v. Smith, 69 A.3d 259, 265 (Pa.Super.2013). Over
fifty years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States conferred the right
to counsel upon indigent defendants in state proceedings. See
Commonwealth ex rel. Wright v. Cavell, 220 A.2d 611, 614 (Pa.1966)
(citing Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 337, 83 S. Ct. 792, 793
(1963)).
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Due process requires counsel be provided at all “critical stages”
of a criminal prosecution. Coleman v. Alabama, 399 U.S. 1, 7,
90 S.Ct. 1999 [] (1970). A “critical stage” is one in which the
accused’s substantive rights may be affected. Commonwealth
v. D’Amato, [] 856 A.2d 806, 821 ([Pa.]2004).
Commonwealth v. Wright, 961 A.2d 119, 133 (Pa.2008); see also
Cavell, 220 A.2d at 614 (“This rule applies whenever a critical stage is
reached, where rights may be preserved or lost.”). “A hearing on a guilty
plea or at the time of sentencing is a ‘critical stage’ in the proceedings
against the accused, at which the accused is entitled to be represented by
[c]ounsel.” Cavell, 220 A.2d at 614; see also Smith, 69 A.3d at 265
(“[t]here is no disputing that there exists a constitutional right to counsel at
sentencing.” (citations omitted)). Further, as this Court has explained,
“restitution is simply not an award of damages but, rather, a sentence.”
Commonwealth v. Pleger, 934 A.2d 715, 720 (Pa.Super.2007).
Here, Appellant, an indigent, filed a Motion to Appoint Counsel for
Sentencing requesting the appointment of counsel following this Court’s
remand for a new sentencing hearing limited to the imposition of restitution.
The trial court denied Appellant’s request for counsel by order dated March
13, 2015,12 and later further explained the denial in open court as follows:
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12
The trial court’s order reads:
AND NOW, this 13th day of March, 2015, upon
consideration of Defendant’s Motion to Appoint Counsel for
Sentencing, despite the fact that it would be easier to acquiesce
(Footnote Continued Next Page)
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I denied your request in my order of March 13, 2015, because,
frankly, I don’t believe you’re entitled to have counsel for this
proceeding.
N.T. 3/30/2015, p. 4.13 This was error. The proceeding ordered by this
Court’s memorandum decision of January 29, 2015 was not simply a
“hearing”, as termed by the trial court, nor was it a 18 Pa.C.S. § 1106
hearing regarding already-imposed restitution. The March 30, 2015
proceeding was a sentencing, albeit limited to restitution. Accordingly,
Appellant was entitled to representation by counsel. See Pleger, Cavell,
Wright, supra.
The trial court is correct that it would have been easy to acquiesce to
Appellant’s request for counsel at the ordered resentencing on restitution.
See Order, 3/13/2015. It also would have been proper. The trial court
committed error by not appointing counsel at this critical stage. Accordingly,
we must vacate the restitution portion of Appellant’s sentence and remand
for another resentencing limited to the issue of restitution at which Appellant
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(Footnote Continued)
in the request and be done with it, we are decidedly convinced
that the appointment of counsel is neither required by law nor is
it practically necessary for a hearing solely on the matter of
restitution. Finding that the interests of justice do not require
this appointment, Defendant’s motion for the appointment of
counsel is DENIED.
Order, 3/13/2015.
13
We note the trial court’s Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion for the instant appeal,
filed April 10, 2015, is silent on Appellant’s denial of counsel claim.
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has representation, if requested, or a full hearing, if he wishes to proceed
pro se.14
Restitution portion of judgment of sentence vacated. Case remanded
for trial court to hold a new sentencing hearing limited to the question of
restitution. All other aspects of judgment of sentence affirmed. Jurisdiction
relinquished.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 2/9/2016
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14
Because our determination on Appellant’s counsel claim is dispositive in
this matter and will result in a new sentencing hearing, we need not address
Appellant’s remaining claim regarding the restitution awarded at the March
30, 2015 resentencing.
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