Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Ali, R.

OPINION

JUSTICE DOUGHERTY

This Court granted discretionary review to determine the propriety of the trial court considering victim impact evidence at a sentencing proceeding where the offenses at issue were not crimes against a person. Citing 42 Pa.C.S. § 9738 (“Victim impact statements”), the Superior Court held, as a matter of law, such evidence is irrelevant and inadmissible at sentencing under such circumstances, the trial court therefore abused its discretion, and resentencing was required. We respectfully disagree with this broad holding and, in particular, the construction of Section…