IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
WESTERN DISTRICT
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, : No. 119 WAL 2017
:
Respondent :
: Petition for Allowance of Appeal from
: the Order of the Superior Court
v. :
:
:
JAVONN ERIC CLANCY, :
:
Petitioner :
ORDER
PER CURIAM
AND NOW, this 11th day of September, 2017, the Petition for Allowance of
Appeal is GRANTED. The issues, rephrased for clarity, are:
(1) Where, in closing argument, the district attorney characterized the Petitioner
as a “cold blooded killer” and a “dangerous man,” did the district attorney violate
the ruling of this Court announced in Commonwealth v. Capalla, 185 A. 203, 205
(Pa. 1936)?
(2) Were the district attorney’s characterizations of the Petitioner during closing
argument permissible oratorical emphasis consistent with Pennsylvania Rules of
Professional Conduct 3.4(c) and ABA Standards for Criminal Justice 3-5.8?