Commonwealth v. Wike

WIEAND, Judge:

Carl Bruno Wike appeals from the judgment of sentence entered following his conviction of first degree murder. He contends (1) that his oral and written statements should have been suppressed because they were the products of coercion; and (2) that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to take various actions calculated to protect appellant’s rights.

The evidence adduced at trial revealed a rather bizarre incident in which appellant took the life of his father. Several hours after father and son had had an argument and while his father was asleep on the couch, appellant…