Commonwealth v. Diggs

OPINION

Justice SAYLOR.

This is a direct appeal from a sentence of death imposed by the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, following Appellant Junious G. Diggs’ conviction of the first-degree murder of Johnetta Bryant and related charges.

Background

On March 16, 2002, thirteen-year-old Kaneesha Cooper (“Kaneesha”) was sitting on her front porch on Beaumont Street in Philadelphia while her mother Johnetta Bryant (the victim) and Kaneesha’s two brothers were inside. Kaneesha was playing with her friend Marquis, and her brothers were upstairs watching television; the victim was in the…