Commonwealth v. Davis

OPINION OF THE COURT

EAGEN, Chief Justice.

Benjamin Franklin Davis was convicted by a jury in York County of murder of the first degree.1 Proceedings were then conducted pursuant to the Pennsylvania Sentencing Code, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1311 (Supp.1977-78), and the jury fixed the penalty at death. Post-verdict motions were later denied and sentence of death was imposed as the jury directed. This appeal followed.

During the trial and also during the hearing conducted under the Sentencing Code, Davis was permitted by the trial court to represent himself,2 although the public defender was directed by the…