Opinion ID: 2374310
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Richard Rawles Appeal

Text: Since we hold that the evidence was sufficient to support the jury's verdict, we do not reach Rawles' claims with respect to the propriety of the trial court's action in substituting a lesser verdict. Rawles' remaining claims alleging prosecutorial misconduct and prejudicially confusing jury instructions have not been preserved for review. Rawles maintains, however, that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to make timely objections to preserve those issues. Rawles first argues that his trial counsel was ineffective in failing to object to various allegedly prejudicial remarks by the prosecutor during opening and closing argument. Some of the statements attributed to the attorney for the Commonwealth do not appear in the record; the remainder cannot be fairly characterized as prejudicial. Thus objections would have been meritless. This Court has indicated repeatedly that trial counsel will not be held ineffective for failing to preserve meritless claims. Commonwealth v. Upsher, 497 Pa. 621, 444 A.2d 90 (1982); Commonwealth v. Smallwood, 497 Pa. 476, 442 A.2d 222 (1982); Commonwealth v. Penn, 497 Pa. 232, 439 A.2d 1154, cert. denied 456 U.S. 980, 102 S.Ct. 2251, 72 L.Ed.2d 857 (1982); Commonwealth v. Ciotti, 496 Pa. 232, 436 A.2d 983 (1981); Commonwealth v. Butler, 495 Pa. 82, 432 A.2d 590 (1981). Thus this contention is without merit. Equally meritless is Rawles' argument that trial counsel should have objected to the trial court's instructions to the jury on the ground that the charge was confusing. Read as a whole, the charge to the jury adequately stated the law and created no likelihood of confusion. Finally, Rawles alleges trial counsel's ineffectiveness in failing to take certain actions during trial, i.e., to elect to conduct an individual, sequestered voir dire, to make an opening statement, to present testimony as to Rawles' physical condition after the stabbing, to object to certain questioning by the prosecution and to move for a directed verdict on first and third degree murder. Each of these alleged omissions is within the realm of sound trial strategy. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Blair, 491 Pa. 499, 421 A.2d 656 (1980); Commonwealth v. Turner, 469 Pa. 319, 365 A.2d 847 (1976); Commonwealth v. Roundtree, 469 Pa. 241, 364 A.2d 1359 (1976); Commonwealth v. Robinson, 452 Pa. 316, 305 A.2d 354 (1973); Commonwealth v. Sullivan, 450 Pa. 273, 299 A.2d 608, cert. denied, 412 U.S. 923, 93 S.Ct. 2745, 37 L.Ed.2d 150 (1973). Thus he is not entitled to relief on ineffectiveness grounds. E.g., Commonwealth v. Bandy, 494 Pa. 244, 431 A.2d 240 (1981); Commonwealth v. Burton, 491 Pa. 13, 417 A.2d 611 (1980); Commonwealth v. Badger, 482 Pa. 240, 393 A.2d 642 (1978); Commonwealth v. Turner, supra ; Commonwealth ex rel. Washington v. Maroney, 427 Pa. 599, 235 A.2d 349 (1967). [3] For the foregoing reasons, the order of the Court of Common Pleas arresting judgment is reversed, the jury's verdict is reinstated, the judgment of sentence on the charge of third degree murder is vacated and the matter remanded for resentencing.