Opinion ID: 1914829
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Commonwealth Witness Kevin Pettiway

Text: Appellant next asserts that counsel was ineffective for failing to impeach Commonwealth witness Kevin Pettiway, who was with the victim at the deli. The PCRA court dismissed this issue without a hearing after determining that Appellant's argument had no merit. At trial, Pettiway positively identified Appellant as the shooter, corroborating the identifications of two other eyewitnesses. Appellant now claims that trial counsel should have cross-examined Pettiway with a prior statement Pettiway made to police in which he admitted that he was not paying attention at all times on the night of the murder. Appellant also claims that counsel should have cross-examined Pettiway about his testimony that he and the victim did not drink alcohol on the night of the murder. The medical examiner testified that the victim had alcohol in his system on the night he died. The record is clear that trial counsel extensively cross-examined Pettiway at trial and continued to challenge Pettiway's reliability as a witness in his closing argument. As the PCRA court noted, the jury found Mr. Pettiway to be a credible witness even after trial counsel cross-examined him regarding alleged inconsistencies. Because trial counsel took the opportunity to impeach Pettiway on the very points Appellant raises, no relief is due. See Commonwealth v. Spotz, 587 Pa. 1, 896 A.2d 1191, 1224 (2006) (no ineffectiveness where counsel in fact made the same objections the appellant claims were proper).