Commonwealth v. Cooper

JOHNSON, Judge:

This appeal presents the question of whether a sentencing court may order a defendant to make restitution of the costs and expenses related to the death of an accident victim when the defendant has not been found criminally responsible for the act which resulted in the accident victim’s death. We think not and therefore vacate that portion of the judgment of sentence providing for restitution, and affirm the sentence of imprisonment.

On September 8, 1981, Paul J. Cooper, Sr., appellant herein, entered a counseled plea of guilty to a charge of Accident Involving Death or Personal…