Commonwealth v. Stark

OPINION

LARSEN, Justice.

In this appeal we are presented with the issue of whether a trial court may, during sentencing, change a previously rendered verdict of guilty to one of not guilty.

Appellant, Lawrence Stark, was charged with the crimes of terroristic threats and simple assault. 1 At the close of the evidence at appellant’s bench trial, the following exchange took place:

THE COURT: All right. Bring the defendant forward. THE DEFENDANT: Sir, can I say something?

THE COURT: I think you better talk through your counsel. That’s the way I operate in this courtroom.

THE DEFENDANT: I was trying…