Commonwealth v. Baumhammers

OPINION

Justice SAYLOR.

This is a capital post-conviction appeal.

The underlying facts are set forth in this Court’s opinion resolving Appellant’s direct appeal. See Commonwealth v. Baumhammers, 599 Pa. 1, 960 A.2d 59 (2008). Briefly, on April 28, 2000, Richard Baum-hammers (Appellant) went on a two-hour crime spree in Allegheny and Beaver Counties in which he shot six individuals with a firearm. Appellant first shot to death a Jewish neighbor and set her house on fire. He then drove to public places such as a Chinese restaurant and an Indian grocery store, where he shot five additional persons,…