Commonwealth v. Burgos

OPINION

ZAPPALA, Justice.

On April 15, 1989, a jury convened in the Court of Common Pleas of Monroe County, convicted Appellant, Jerry Burgos, of first degree murder, 18 Pa.C.S. § 2501; two counts of arson endangering property, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3301(c)(2) and (3); and abuse of corpse, 18 Pa.C.S. § 5510, in the strangulation death of his wife, Nilsa Burgos. Following the jury’s pronouncement of its verdict of guilt, a sentencing hearing was conducted in accordance with 42 Pa.C.S. § 9711 resulting in a determination by the jury that Appellant should be sentenced to death. Post-trial motions were…