Commonwealth v. Collins

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Eagen,

This is an appeal from the judgment of sentence of life imprisonment imposed on Marvin Collins following his conviction by a jury of murder in the first degree. We conclude a new trial is necessary because the trial court excluded certain testimony sought to be introduced by Collins at trial which should have been admitted to aid the jury in resolving one of the principal issues in the case.

According to the Commonwealth, Collins shot and killed Frank Butera, while attempting to commit a robbery in a small watch repair shop on Bedford Avenue in Pittsburgh owned and…