Opinion ID: 1888436
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: did the prosecutor's penalty phase argument violate the fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination, the eighth amendment, and the fourteenth amendment right to due process, and were both trial and appellate counsel ineffective?

Text: Appellant contends that appellate counsel was ineffective for not raising the ineffectiveness of trial and standby counselโ trial counsel for not objecting to comments the prosecutor made during the penalty hearing and standby counsel for not raising an issue accusing trial counsel of being ineffective for not objecting to the comments. [59] The comments were objectionable, Appellant contends, because they allegedly concerned the defense's plea for mercy and remarked on Appellant's failure to provide reasons why he shot the victim when he testified during the penalty hearing. The remarks were unfair and deprived Appellant of due process, in Appellant's view, because Appellant had been precluded from discussing the facts of the case and his innocence by the trial court, see N.T. 2/1/93, 6-9, and because the comments improperly advised the jury that it was inappropriate to show Appellant mercy. Appellant's Brief, 89-91. The Commonwealth asks us to reject Appellant's claim that the comments were prejudicial on the ground that the propriety of the remarks was previously litigated on direct appeal. In the alternative the Commonwealth asserts that the claims lack arguable merit because the challenged remarks were not improper. Commonwealth's Brief, 94-97. We cannot agree with the Commonwealth's assertion that Appellant is not entitled to review of this claim because it was previously litigated. The precise issue Appellant raises here concerns the ineffectiveness of direct appeal counsel for failing to raise a claim that trial counsel was ineffective for not objecting to the comment on grounds that the prosecutor committed prosecutorial misconduct, a claim that was preserved in post-verdict motions. Whether or not appellate counsel was ineffective is a discrete claim requiring independent review. See Ronald Collins, 888 A.2d at 573. Accordingly, review of this layered ineffectiveness claim follows. First, the ineffectiveness claim fails because the prosecutor's remarks did not abase Appellant for not proclaiming his innocence or discussing the facts of the case but rather for not demonstrating remorse for the killing. This was entirely proper because a prosecutor is free to comment on the testimony presented by a defendant. See Commonwealth v. Clark, 551 Pa. 258, 710 A.2d 31, 38-39 (1998). Thus, trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to object to the comment for this reason. As trial counsel was not ineffective, Appellant cannot establish the arguable merit prong of the ineffectiveness test with respect to appellate counsel. Appellant's complaint that the remarks improperly advised the jury that it could not show mercy also lacks merit because a prosecutor may argue that mercy is not a valid ground upon which to base a sentencing verdict. See Commonwealth v. Hughes, 581 Pa. 274, 865 A.2d 761, 804-05 (2004) (holding that prosecutor may argue that jury should balance mercy for defendant against mercy defendant showed victim); Commonwealth v. Freeman, 573 Pa. 532, 827 A.2d 385, 415-16 (2003) (same); Commonwealth v. Bardo, 551 Pa. 140, 709 A.2d 871, 875-76 (1998) (holding that the prosecutor was permitted to argue that the jury should not base its verdict on mercy); Commonwealth v. Washington, 549 Pa. 12, 700 A.2d 400, 415-16 (1997) (holding that it was not improper for prosecutor to argue that jury should show defendant same mercy he showed victim). Accordingly, we hold that Appellant is not entitled to relief here because the prosecutor's comments were not objectionable and thus trial counsel cannot be held to have been ineffective for failing to object to the remarks at trial. Because trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to object, direct appeal counsel was not ineffective for failing to raise trial counsel's ineffectiveness on direct appeal.
Appellant complains that appellate counsel were ineffective for not asserting that trial counsel was ineffective for not objecting on hearsay grounds to the introduction of the contents of an arrest warrant affidavit issued for Appellant regarding a charge of robbery lodged against him prior to the murder herein. After Appellant testified during the penalty hearing, the Commonwealth introduced evidence that Appellant had entered a guilty plea to a robbery charge for purposes of undermining Appellant's credibility with this crimen falsi crime. N.T. 2/2/93, 146-148. None of the details of the robbery were presented to the jury. However, in cross-examining the witness through whom the existence of the conviction was introduced, trial counsel implied by his questioning that Appellant had entered a guilty plea to a charge he did not actually commit. N.T. 2/2/93, 148-152. In rebuttal, the Commonwealth was granted permission, over objection, to have its witness read into the record the contents of the affidavit. The trial court overruled the objection after finding that trial counsel had opened the door to the admission of the contents of the affidavit through his cross-examination of the witness. N.T. 2/2/93, 152-156. Appellant now submits that the affidavit contained two inadmissible double-hearsay statements made by the complainant in the robbery and trial counsel should have objected to its admission into evidence on this ground. Instead, trial counsel proffered a general objection and then a motion for a mistrial. [60] Appellant's Brief, 91. The Commonwealth asks us to reject this claim because Appellant failed to provide legal support for it. The Commonwealth also argues that this claim was raised and rejected in Fletcher I and thus is unreviewable because it was previously litigated. Commonwealth's Brief, 97-98. In Fletcher I, Appellant argued on direct appeal that the trial court erred by permitting the Commonwealth's witness to read the affidavit into evidence because the affidavit contained inflammatory material and inadmissible hearsay. See Appellant's Brief and Record on Direct Appeal, 70. This Court held that Appellant's claim was meritless because the Commonwealth was properly granted the right to rebut the inference of innocence generated by trial counsel's questions of the Commonwealth's witness. Fletcher I, 750 A.2d at 278. In addition, this Court noted that the trial court gave the jury extensive instructions concerning the prior robbery conviction which included the admonition that the jury could only use that evidence to assess Appellant's credibility. Id. Given that direct appeal counsel did raise the issue Appellant now presents on direct appeal and in the absence of any separate challenge to appellate counsel's performance related thereto, it is clear that he was not ineffective and that Appellant's claim fails.
Appellant claims that this Court in Fletcher I did not provide a meaningful or correct proportionality review to which he was entitled pursuant to now-repealed 42 Pa.C.S. ง 9711(h)(3)(iii). [61] Appellant's complaint rests upon an assertion that a proper proportionality review could not have occurred on account of errors and omissions in a database administered by the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). [62] Appellant also claims that he was deprived of due process of law because he never received the materials stored by the AOPC and he was not provided an opportunity to be heard with respect to proportionality review. Appellant's Brief, 93. Finally, Appellant complains that direct appeal counsel was ineffective for not obtaining from the AOPC the materials utilized by this Court in conducting its proportionality review. Appellant's Brief, 93. The Commonwealth asks that we hold the claim meritless because it has been previously litigated. The Commonwealth also submits that Appellant is not entitled to relief because he waived his claims by failing to raise them in his PCRA petition. Finally, the Commonwealth notes that this Court has previously rejected claims identical to the one Appellant raises here. Commonwealth's Brief, 98. We agree that Appellant waived the issues he now presents because he did not raise them in his PCRA petition. [63] In his PCRA petition, Appellant claimed that the proportionality review this Court conducted on direct appeal was flawed because the Court allegedly did not consider cases in which life sentences were imposed. PCRA Petition, 239-240. Appellant did not raise a claim challenging the accuracy of the data compiled by the AOPC, a due process claim, or an ineffectiveness claim. Thus we hold that Appellant waived the claims he now presents on appeal. Pa.R.A.P. 302(a) (providing that issues not presented in the lower court are waived and cannot be presented for the first time on appeal).