Opinion ID: 1470157
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Continuance to Locate a Witness

Text: Appellant argues that the trial court erred in denying his request for a continuance to locate a witness, Dr. Olu Fadeyibi, who failed to appear at trial. [19] Appellant asserts that the voluntariness of his confession was a key issue for his defense; that several witnesses testified at trial that Appellant had appeared injured at his arraignment; and that Dr. Fadeyibi, who was a legal intern employed by the Defender Association of Philadelphia and represented Appellant at his arraignment, testified at the suppression hearing concerning his observations of Appellant's injuries. The PCRA court did not consider the merits of this claim, concluding that it had been previously litigated on direct appeal, see 42 Pa.C.S. § 9544(a), and observing that Appellant could not overcome such limitation by presenting new theories of relief to support his previously litigated claim. See Commonwealth v. Senk, 496 Pa. 630, 635-636, 437 A.2d 1218, 1220 (1981); see also Commonwealth v. Peterkin, 538 Pa. 455, 460-61, 649 A.2d 121, 123 (1994) ([P]ost-conviction review of claims previously litigated on appeal cannot be obtained by alleging ineffective assistance of prior counsel and by presenting new theories of relief to support previously litigated claims.). Relying on Commonwealth v. Miller, 560 Pa. 500, 519 n. 9, 746 A.2d 592, 602 n. 9 (2000), however, Appellant argues that this issue cannot be deemed previously litigated, as he has now set forth previously unchallenged evidence that this Court did not consider on direct appeal. Further, Appellant maintains that appellate counsel's presentation of this issue was ineffective, as counsel failed to include evidence that would have placed Appellant's claim in context, see Brief of Appellant at 49, including the declarations provided to the PCRA court. This Court has recently determined that the ineffective assistance of counsel raises a claim distinct from the underlying allegations of trial court error, given its basis in Sixth Amendment principles. See Commonwealth v. Collins, 585 Pa. 45, 60-61, 888 A.2d 564, 573 (2005). In the present matter, on direct review Appellant challenged the trial court's refusal to grant him a continuance to locate Dr. Fadeyibi, the same claim underlying his present assertion of deficient stewardship. Appellate counsel's arguments in this regard, though brief, centered around Dr. Fadeyibi's prior testimony and the necessity of having a neutral witness testify concerning his injured appearance at his arraignment. Although Appellant's present arguments focus on similar contentions, Appellant also includes allegations of counsel's ineffectiveness, thereby advancing a distinct claim that may be reviewed on its merits. Appellant's ineffectiveness claim, however, fails on the arguable merit prong for the reasons noted on direct appeal, namely, that it was not an abuse of discretion for the trial court to deny Appellant a continuance to locate Dr. Fadeyibi, as his testimony would have been cumulative of the testimony of five other witnesses. See Gibson, 547 Pa. at 90-91, 688 A.2d at 1161-62; see also Collins, 585 Pa. at 61, 888 A.2d at 573 (Ultimately, the claim may fail on the arguable merit or prejudice prong for the reasons discussed on direct appeal, but a Sixth Amendment claim raises a distinct issue for purposes of the PCRA and must be treated as such.). Notably, Appellant has not explained precisely what evidence appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to present and has failed to proffer any evidence connected to this particular claim that was not also presented on direct appeal, aside from general statements concerning the appropriate context of this claim. Indeed, the only citation Appellant provides in this respect is to the portion of his own brief detailing declarants' descriptions of his intoxication on the night of the murders. See Brief of Appellant at 49 (citing Brief of Appellant at 24-25). However, such evidence has no bearing on the trial court's denial of his motion for a continuance to locate a cumulative witness, and, accordingly, the PCRA court did not err in dismissing this claim.