Opinion ID: 1562759
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Transcript Alterations & Deletions

Text: Appellant next claims that he was denied meaningful appellate review and effective assistance of appellate counsel because the trial transcript is inaccurate. In his Brief, appellant describes a number of transcript alterations and deletions which, he asserts, constituted a denial of meaningful appellate review. Appellant alleges that the audio recording of trial was edited and reveals substantial alterations to the testimony upon which this Court relied when finding the evidence sufficient to prove his guilt on direct review. Similarly, appellant asserts that he is entitled to an accurate and complete record as a fundamental prerequisite for the adjudication of his PCRA claims. Appellant further contends that he was denied effective assistance of counsel on direct review because appellate counsel could not have provided effective assistance in the absence of a complete trial record. Appellant asserts that appellate counsel's failure to obtain the audiotapes of the trial proceedings demonstrates ineffectiveness because he failed to take basic investigatory steps to pursue an appeal. Appellant acknowledges that appellate counsel filed objections to the transcript, but he still argues that appellate counsel was nevertheless ineffective for failing to obtain the audiotapes and brief or argue the issue of alterations on direct appeal. Finally, appellant claims that the PCRA court erred in denying his request for expert funds for a thorough analysis of the audiotapes of the trial proceedings. The Commonwealth responds that this claim is cognizable only as one sounding in the ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. The Commonwealth states that the first prong of Pierce could potentially be satisfied by appellate counsel's failure to address the alteration issue in his appeal brief. The Commonwealth notes, however, that the issue was addressed by appellate counsel in post-verdict motions and ruled upon by the trial court. The failure to renew the claim in the appellate brief, the Commonwealth submits, must have been because appellate counsel reasonably believed, following the trial court's ruling, that the claim lacked merit. The Commonwealth further asserts that, because the trial court reviewed the transcripts individually and denied most of appellant's proposed changes, no prejudice resulted from appellate counsel's decision not to pursue the issue on direct appeal. The PCRA court concluded that the ineffectiveness claim lacked arguable merit because appellant's proposed alterations would not have affected the substance of the testimony presented. Additionally, the PCRA court found that appellant was not prejudiced by the alterations and that the judge, who heard the actual testimony, ordered appropriate changes to be made to the transcript. A defendant has a right to a complete and accurate transcript of trial. See Griffin v. Illinois, 351 U.S. 12, 19, 76 S.Ct. 585, 100 L.Ed. 891 (1956) (due process and equal protection requires that indigent defendant be provided transcript); see also Mayer v. City of Chicago, 404 U.S. 189, 195, 92 S.Ct. 410, 30 L.Ed.2d 372 (1971) (state must provide full, verbatim record). Appellant's underlying claim that he was denied meaningful appellate review due to alleged alterations to the trial transcript is waived because it was not raised on direct review. Appellant's only cognizable claims based on the underlying transcript alteration claim are: (1) that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate the alleged transcript alterations and obtain audiotapes of the trial proceedings; and (2) that the PCRA court erred in denying appellant's request for expert funds. First, we see no error in the PCRA court's rejection of appellant's claim sounding in the ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. Following trial, newly-appointed appellate counsel filed objections to the trial and evidentiary hearing transcripts. In March 1988, the trial court dismissed all but three of appellate counsel's objections. Thereafter, appellate counsel filed exceptions to the trial court's orders dismissing his objections to the transcripts. In its April 29, 1988 memorandum opinion and order responding to appellant's post-verdict motions, the trial court stated that it had gone through the record with each court reporter and made the necessary corrections. Thus, the court concluded, the record was now correct as to what had occurred at trial. In light of the extensive post-verdict consideration of this issue, appellant has not proven that appellate counsel's decision not to pursue this claim on direct appeal lacked a reasonable basis. [12] Additionally, the alterations appellant now alleges in his Briefassuming, for purposes of decision, that they existare not of such moment as to prove appellate counsel ineffectiveness. Appellant's claim of alterations is premised upon comparing the written transcript with an audiotape. Most of the alleged alterations cited in appellant's brief constitute little more than the un-transcribable ums and ers and other linguistic stumblings of the witnesses at trial, while other allegations of transcript alterations are used by appellant to suggest deception and a scheme or design to the pattern of alterations. For instance, appellant claims that the following alleged alterations created a false impression that alibi witness Dr. Timothy McCormick was not sure when appellant arrived at his home: [13] [McCormick]: The most, the way I remember it was I think Johnny Carson was on and there was a theme song, and that's eleven:thirty to twelve:thirty, and so I can't [can] tell you that when I hear [heard] the theme song that I would assume [it] eleven:thirty in my head, but I know [I] that I wa...(E) looked at a [the] watch or clock, you know probably many times throughout that time and was of cognizant at [of] the time. that's all. [Commonwealth]: So you're saying eleven:thirty the theme song was on? [McCormick]: That's the way I remember it. Okay? [Commonwealth]: That's fine. That's what you said [say], eleven:thirty till [because] you heard the theme song of Johnny Carson [McCormick]: Right. [Commonwealth]:when he [Donnie] came to the door [McCormick]: [Right.] [Commonwealth]: he woke you up though, coming in? [McCormick]: Well, he came [there], yeah. [Commonwealth]: Was it his custom to, ah, Doctor, to make plans prior to the day [date] he would show up, and I realize you say he (E) you never knew when he was going to come over [coming in] or whatever...(fade)...(E) Had had you made plans with him at least by phone that week to get together [on] Friday? [McCormick]: Yes, we had. N.T., 2/5/87, 489-90; Appellant's Brief at 26. Contrary to appellant's assertion, the difference between hear and heard or said and say, or the deletion of an ah and the addition of an of, does not support appellant's contention that the alleged alterations give a false impression that McCormick was unsure of the time when appellant arrived, and in such a way as to diminish his testimony. In fact, the alleged alteration from can't to can actually would make it seem as if McCormick were more certain of when appellant arrived at his home. Moreover, the jury's consideration of witness testimony was obviously unaffected by these alleged transcript alterations. Any instance of witness misspeaking or stumbling implicating witness credibility was weighed by the jury at trial. Even supposing that these transcription errors occurred, they are de minimis and would not have affected this Court's review of the sufficiency of the evidence to such an extent as to deny appellant meaningful appellate review, such that counsel could be deemed ineffective. There are some other alleged alterations, however, which are more weighty. For example, appellant submits that Trooper Bernard Stanek's rebuttal testimony during the defense's case was altered as follows: Well, the victim's car was I believe eight and about eight tenths of a mile from the scene of the Finishing Touch, appellant's place of employment and the scene of the rape and murder. See N.T., 2/4/87, at 437-38; Appellant's Brief at 29 (appellant's emphasis indicating text that was allegedly removed from the transcript). Appellant argues that such an alterationthe difference between 0.8 miles and 8.8 milescould have affected this Court's sufficiency review because the alteration makes it appear that the prosecution's theory is consistent with the timeline and tends to rebut any claim that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to use the timeline to prove appellant's innocence. Such a claim, however, falters because prior to this alleged alteration, Trooper Edward Peters clearly stated that the victim's car was found eight point eight tenths miles and twelve to seventeen minutes from The Finishing Touch. N.T., 2/3/87, at 121. This testimony, presented during the Commonwealth's case-in-chief (as opposed to Trooper Stanek's rebuttal testimony), would have remained available to this Court on direct review. Therefore, appellant's allegations of prejudice arising from the alleged alteration fails. Second, we see no error in the PCRA court's denial of appellant's request for expert funds to examine audiotapes of trial proceedings to determine the accuracy of the transcript. Appellant essentially argues that the denial of expert funds violates Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68, 83, 105 S.Ct. 1087, 84 L.Ed.2d 53 (1985) (due process requires state to provide psychiatric assistance when defendant makes preliminary showing that sanity at time of offense is likely to be at issue), and that the trial court could not have properly found that his claim lacks arguable merit without knowing whether the claim was supported by expert findings. Ake is inapposite: Ake's requirement to provide state-paid expert assistance applies to psychiatric assistance at trial, not audiotape forensic experts on PCRA review to try to prove appellate counsel ineffectiveness. Moreover, no matter what appellant amasses now on collateral attack, he still falters in the face of the presumption that appellate counsel was effective. Appellate counsel had to proceed in the face of a finding by the trial judge that the transcript was accurate and complete, and appellant has cited no authority for the proposition that newly appointed appellate counsel are obliged to order audiotapes and compare them to the transcript in search of deviations. For the foregoing reasons, appellant's ineffectiveness claims based on the alleged alterations to the transcript are without merit.