Lear v. Commonwealth

WINTERSHEIMER, Justice.

This appeal is from a judgment based on a jury verdict which convicted Lear of two counts of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree sodomy. He was sentenced to two consecutive and one concurrent life terms of imprisonment.

Lear raises five issues on appeal as follows: 1) Propriety of denying continuance; 2) evidence of other crimes; 3) habeas corpus relief and the disqualification of the trial judge; 4) sentencing errors; and 5) improper closing argument.

Lear was convicted of rape and sodomy involving his pre-teenage step-granddaughter and step-niece. The first…