Commonwealth v. Olds

CIRILLO, Judge:

Appellant Richard Lee Olds was tried before the Honorable Samuel Strauss and a jury in Allegheny County and was convicted of second degree murder, robbery and conspiracy in the shooting death of Thomas Beitler. Post-trial motions were denied and appellant was sentenced to life imprisonment. Several issues are raised in this appeal.

Appellant first contends that the trial court erred in failing to grant a demurrer at the close of the Commonwealth’s case. Because appellant’s counsel did not rest following the adverse ruling on the demurrer but instead presented a case in defense,…