Opinion ID: 1915285
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Atkins

Text: Appellant raises a claim that he is mentally retarded and that his death sentence is unconstitutional pursuant to Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304, 122 S.Ct. 2242, 153 L.Ed.2d 335 (2002) (holding that the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the execution of mentally retarded individuals). Appellant did not raise this claim before the PCRA court in the proceeding leading to this appeal and, in fact, could not have, because the decision in Atkins occurred after Appellant filed his PCRA petition and the PCRA court denied relief, but before Appellant perfected his appeal to this Court. Because Appellant could not have raised his Atkins claim before the PCRA court due to the pendency of his first PCRA petition, his only option is to raise it in a second PCRA petition filed within sixty days of the date of the order that finally resolves the first PCRA petition adjudicated herein. See Commonwealth v. Lark, 560 Pa. 487, 746 A.2d 585, 588 (2000). Of course, Appellant will still be required to plead and prove that one of the three exceptions to the time bar under 42 Pa. C.S. ง 9545(b)(1) applies. Lark; 42 Pa. C.S. ง 9545(b)(1) (Any petition under this subchapter, including a second or subsequent petition, shall be filed within one year of the date the judgment becomes final, unless the petition alleges and the petitioner proves that ... (iii) the right asserted is a constitutional right that was recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States or the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania after the time period provided in this section and has been held by that court to apply retroactively.). At this juncture, however, this claim is waived. See Pa.R.A.P. 302(a) (Issues not raised in the lower court are waived and cannot be raised for the first time on appeal.); Commonwealth v. Edmiston, 578 Pa. 284, 851 A.2d 883, 889 (2004) (The proper vehicle for raising new claims is not on PCRA appeal, but rather in a subsequent PCRA petition, should appellant be able to satisfy the statutory restrictions on such serial filings.). It is dismissed without prejudice.