Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Houtz
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Decided September 24, 1981No. 77 M. D. Misc. Docket 1981PublishedCited by 56 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
OPINION OF THE COURT
ROBERTS, Justice.
This matter presents a judgment of sentence imposed on verdicts of guilty of involuntary manslaughter, 18 Pa.C.S. § 2504, and homicide by vehicle, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3732. We conclude that, under the prohibition against double punishment embodied in the double jeopardy clauses, the sentence imposed on homicide by vehicle cannot stand.
Petitioner was charged with both crimes for his involvement in a fatal automobile accident. Through eyewitness testimony, the Commonwealth presented evidence to a jury that, contrary to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3309, petitioner abruptly pulled…
2Cases cited10 opinions
- Blockburger v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1931
- North Carolina v. PearceSupreme Court of the United States · 1969
- Benton v. MarylandSupreme Court of the United States · 1969
- Brown v. OhioSupreme Court of the United States · 1977
- Commonwealth v. WalkerSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1976
5 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by56 opinions
- Commonwealth v. ComerSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1998
- Commonwealth v. WilliamsSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1985
- Commonwealth v. AndrewsSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 2001
- Commonwealth v. HeckSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1987
- Commonwealth v. HernandezSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1985
51 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.