Commonwealth v. Piedra

The defendant appeals from her conviction of being accessory before the fact to larceny. The larceny involved was committed by her employer, Dr. Irwin Klepper, who defrauded the Department of Public Welfare of approximately $500,000.

The defendant raises several claims of error. She argues (1) that the prosecutor improperly used peremptory challenges to exclude nonwhite jurors; (2) that the trial judge erred in allow ing in evidence certain grand jury testimony of the defendant; (3) that the judge explained the purpose and function of the grand jury in a manner that was harmful to the…