# Commonwealth v. Clark

> Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · April 2, 1998 · 551 Pa. 258

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9693328

## Case

- **Full name:** COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellee, v. Ronald CLARK, Appellant
- **Court:** Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- **Decided:** April 2, 1998
- **Citations:** 551 Pa. 258; 710 A.2d 31; 1998 Pa. LEXIS 580
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Concurrence by Zappala
- **Judges:** Flaherty, Zappala, Cappy, Castille, Nigro, Newman
- **Cited by:** 89 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- **Red flag:** Abrogated on other grounds by Commonwealth v. Freeman, 573 Pa. 532 (2003).
- Negative treatments: 1
- Distinguished by: 0
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9693328

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- finding that the Commonwealth’s proffer of two prior robbery convictions constituted sufficient evidence to support a capital sentencing jury’s finding of the (d)(9) aggravator
- stating that ”[t]he jury inquired as to the meaning of ‘life imprisonment.’ The trial court responded to this question as follows ...”
- holding that prosecutor's comment that defendant failed to show remorse was in fair response to defense closing argument
- finding that trial counsel was not ineffective where the record did not establish a prima facie Batson claim.

## Opinion text

ZAPPALA, Justice,
concurring.
I agree with the conclusions reached by the majority. I write separately, however, because I agree with Mr. Justice Nigro that a jury charge pursuant to Simmons v. South Carolina, 512 U.S. 154 , 114 S.Ct. 2187 , 129 L.Ed.2d 133 (1994), should be mandated. Accordingly, I join in that portion of his concurring-opinion addressed to this issue.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9693328. Public record. Not legal advice.