Commonwealth v. French

OPINION OF THE COURT

LARSEN, Justice.

At issue in these cross-appeals by allowance is whether the use of force against an arresting officer is ever justified, an issue of first impression in this Court; and whether a new *45trial is required on grounds that appellee was not permitted to examine pre-trial statements by certain of the Commonwealth’s witnesses.

On October 17, 1987, police officer John Welsh was summoned to the scene of an altercation in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. Officer Welsh separated the individuals involved in the fracas, and upon being joined by three other police…