Beck v. Commonwealth

Sitting without a jury, the trial court convicted Charles George Beck of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and, on each count, sentenced him to five years in the penitentiary, with all but six months suspended. The two sentences were fixed to run concurrently.

We must decide whether the evidence was sufficient to establish the corpus delicti.

Under familiar principles, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth. Between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on February 23, 1973, Beck consumed “around seven” beers at the Park Inn Restaurant where he was a regular…