State Supreme Court to hear convicted rapist’s appeal

HARRISBURG, PA. >> The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear the appeal of a convicted rapist who argued he shouldn’t have been blocked from questioning his teenage victim while representing himself at trial.

The state Supreme Court agreed last week to hear Patrick Tighe’s appeal, the Times-Tribune reported . Tighe was convicted in 2013 of rape and other charges. He was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison.

Lackawanna County Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle allowed Tighe to question all witnesses except for the victim during his trial. Moyle forced Tighe to accept standby counsel.

The state Superior Court upheld Moyle’s decision in May. In its ruling, justices wrote defendants representing themselves do have a right to question their accusers. However, they noted courts have barred defendants from questioning accusers because of potential emotional harm.

Tighe’s attorney, Terrence McDonald, claims prosecutors never presented evidence showing the victim would be harmed by questioning by his client.

“There was no separate hearing regarding it. No psychologist indicated that. They didn’t even ask the victim herself whether it would be a problem for her,” McDonald said.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell doesn’t believe a hearing was needed in the case. The district attorney’s office plans to fight the appeal, according to Powell.