Commonwealth v. Woodward

OPINION OF THE COURT

EAGEN, Chief Justice.

This is a direct appeal from the judgment of sentence of life imprisonment imposed on Eugene N. Woodward following his conviction by a jury in 19721 in Allegheny County of murder of the first degree.

The salient facts surrounding the conviction are as follows: On the evening of December 10, 1971, a man, later identified as Woodward, entered a Pittsburgh bar and ordered a beer and some potato chips. As the bartender placed the potato chips on the bar, he heard a “pop” and saw the victim, Ernest Reidel, put his hand to his neck which was bleeding…