Summary
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held that digital penetration of a victim's vagina cannot support a charge of sexual assault under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3124.1 because it does not constitute sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse as those terms are defined in the Crimes Code. The court reversed the Superior Court's reinstatement of the sexual-assault counts based on digital penetration and remanded for further proceedings.
Holdings
- Digital penetration of the vagina is not sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse as those terms are defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3101.
- Digital penetration may not be the basis for a charge of sexual assault under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3124.1.
Questions Presented
- Whether digital penetration of a complainant's vagina constitutes sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3101.
- Whether evidence of digital penetration can sustain a charge of sexual assault under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3124.1.
Disposition
reversed_and_remanded
Cases Cited (13)
- Phillips v. A-Best Products Co., 542 Pa. 124, 665 A.2d 1167, 1170 (1995)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Harner, 533 Pa. 14, 617 A.2d 702, 705-06 (1992)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Hagan, 539 Pa. 609, 654 A.2d 541, 544-45 (1995)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Booth, 564 Pa. 228, 766 A.2d 843, 846 (2001)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Besch, 544 Pa. 1, 674 A.2d 655, 660 n. 7 (1996)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Brown, 551 Pa. 465, 711 A.2d 444, 450 (1998)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Brachbill, 520 Pa. 533, 555 A.2d 82, 86 (1989)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Hitchcock, 523 Pa. 248, 565 A.2d 1159 (1989)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Lee, 432 Pa. Super. 414, 638 A.2d 1006, appeal denied, 538 Pa. 643, 647 A.2d 898 (1994)(followed)
- Commonwealth v. Westcott, 362 Pa. Super. 176, 523 A.2d 1140, appeal denied, 516 Pa. 640, 533 A.2d 712 (1987)(rejected in part)
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Cited In (0)
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Court Document
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