Opinion ID: 1906630
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Failure to Present Factual Issues on Appeal

Text: Appellant's next issue asserts that PCRA counsel was ineffective for failing to claim that appellate counsel was ineffective in the presentation of his direct appeal to this Court, resulting in alleged misstatements and mischaracterizations of the facts of record in this Court's opinion on Appellant's direct appeal. See Commonwealth v. Pursell, 508 Pa. 212, 495 A.2d 183 (1985). Assuming, arguendo, that there were errors in this Court's recitation of the facts in the disposition of Appellant's direct appeal, Appellant nevertheless alleges no connection between such error and an error in the decision of any legal issues in his appeal. Instead, Appellant uses this issue to argue that there was insufficient evidence to sustain his conviction, particularly with respect to the evidence of the victim's blood discovered on Appellant's shoes. Trial counsel's competency regarding the admission of the blood evidence against Appellant was previously litigated on Appellant's direct appeal. See id. at 228-229, 495 A.2d at 191-192. Accordingly, we cannot review this previously-litigated issue. 42 Pa.C.S. § 9544(a).