Opinion ID: 2293708
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Racial Discrimination in Death Sentence

Text: Finally, Appellant maintains that his death sentence should be vacated because it is a product of racial discrimination in violation of the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions, Pennsylvania's Sentencing Statute, and International Law. In support of this claim, Appellant relies on various items of documentary evidence that are completely unrelated to his individual case. He maintains that, at the very least, he is entitled to an evidentiary hearing. Appellant's racial discrimination claim, however, is waived because it was not raised on direct appeal. 42 Pa. C.S. § 9544(b). Further it was not presented in Appellant's PCRA petition. Appellant, however, additionally claims that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to raise the issue and that PCRA counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge trial counsel's performance in this regard. As the issue of PCRA counsel ineffectiveness is properly framed pursuant to Hall, we shall determine whether there is any arguable merit to the claim of trial counsel ineffectiveness. We find that such claim clearly lacks arguable merit as this Court recently rejected nearly the identical claim in Commonwealth v. Rios, 591 Pa. 583, 920 A.2d 790 (2007), wherein we stated: In this case, Appellant only proffers statistics and generalized claims that the death penalty is applied in Philadelphia County in a racially discriminatory manner. He has not set forth any evidence to show that the allegedly pervasive discriminatory atmosphere affected his individual case. Mere allegations of general bias and statistics are not sufficient to meet the burden of proving discrimination as to Appellant's case. As such this claim fails. Id. at 822 (emphasis supplied). Thus, the claim of racial discrimination is meritless and trial counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to raise it. Accordingly, the claim of PCRA counsel ineffectiveness fails. Pursell, 724 A.2d at 304. Accordingly, for the reasons set forth herein, we affirm that portion of the PCRA court's order denying Appellant a new trial and reverse that portion granting Appellant a new penalty hearing. [31] Justice GREENSPAN did not participate in the consideration or decision of this case.