Court Opinion

ID: 9948663
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-07 17:14:09.429372+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:25:44.718507
License: Public Domain

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NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT O.P. 65.37

 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA          :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
                                       :        PENNSYLVANIA
                                       :
              v.                       :
                                       :
                                       :
 JAMES ALVIN JONES                     :
                                       :
                   Appellant           :   No. 1209 EDA 2023

          Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered January 18, 2022
   In the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County Criminal Division at
                     No(s): CP-15-CR-0000709-2012

 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA          :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
                                       :        PENNSYLVANIA
                                       :
              v.                       :
                                       :
                                       :
 JAMES ALVIN JONES                     :
                                       :
                   Appellant           :   No. 1208 EDA 2023

          Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered January 18, 2022
   In the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County Criminal Division at
                     No(s): CP-15-CR-0004817-2011

 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA          :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
                                       :        PENNSYLVANIA
                                       :
              v.                       :
                                       :
                                       :
 JAMES ALVIN JONES                     :
                                       :
                   Appellant           :   No. 1207 EDA 2023
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           Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered January 18, 2022
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County Criminal Division at
                      No(s): CP-15-CR-0000709-2012,
                          CP-15-CR-0004817-2011

BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., DUBOW, J., and NICHOLS, J.

MEMORANDUM BY BENDER, P.J.E.:                          FILED MARCH 07, 2024

       Appellant, James Alvin Jones, appeals nunc pro tunc from the post-

conviction court’s January 18, 2022 order denying his petition for relief filed

pursuant to the Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA), 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546.

Additionally, Appellant’s counsel, Scott J. Werner, Jr., Esq., has filed a petition

to withdraw from representing Appellant, along with an Anders1 brief, at each

docket number. While a Turner/Finley2 no-merit letter is the appropriate

filing when counsel seeks to withdraw on appeal from the denial of PCRA relief,

we will accept Attorney Werner’s Anders brief in lieu of a Turner/Finley no-

merit letter.3 After careful review, we quash the appeals at docket Nos. 1208

EDA 2023 and 1209 EDA 2023. We affirm the PCRA court’s order at docket

No. 1207 EDA 2023, and grant Attorney Werner’s petition to withdraw.

____________________________________________

1 Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).

2 Commonwealth v. Turner, 544 A.2d 927 (Pa. 1988); Commonwealth v.

Finley, 550 A.2d 213 (Pa. Super. 1988) (en banc).

3 See Commonwealth v. Widgins, 29 A.3d 816, 817 n.2 (Pa. Super. 2011)

(“Because an Anders brief provides greater protection to a defendant, this
Court may accept an Anders brief in lieu of a Turner/Finley letter.”) (citation
omitted).

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       The PCRA court presented a detailed summary of the facts and

procedural history underlying Appellant’s convictions, which we adopt for

purposes of this appeal. See PCRA Court Opinion (PCO), 12/21/21, at 1-5.

Procedurally, Appellant entered a plea agreement on August 23, 2013, in the

case docketed at CP-15-CR-0000709-2012, to two counts of murder in the

third-degree and one count of conspiracy.4        The agreement called for a

sentence of 20 to 40 years’ incarceration for Appellant’s first count of third-

degree murder, but the plea agreement left open the sentence he would

receive for the second count of that offense, as well as for his conspiracy

conviction. Ultimately, on November 6, 2013, the court sentenced Appellant

to consecutive terms of 20 to 40 years’ imprisonment on each third-degree-

murder count, plus 10 years’ consecutive probation for the conspiracy offense.

       Appellant filed a timely motion for reconsideration of his sentence, which

the court granted. The court resentenced Appellant on May 12, 2014, to 14½

to 29 years’ imprisonment on his second count of third-degree murder, and

left unchanged his sentences on the other two counts. This Court affirmed

Appellant’s judgment of sentence on direct appeal, and he did not seek review

____________________________________________

4 That same day, Appellant also entered a guilty plea to the same charges of

third-degree murder and conspiracy in CP-15-CR-0004817-2011. However,
on November 6, 2013, the court entered an order stating that those charges
were withdrawn pursuant to the plea agreement in CP-15-CR-0000709-2012.
See Order, 11/6/13. Accordingly, no judgment of sentence exists at docket
number CP-15-CR-0004817-2011.

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with our Supreme Court. See Commonwealth v. Jones, 158 A.3d 182 (Pa.

Super. 2016) (unpublished memorandum).

       On October 19, 2017, Appellant filed a timely, counseled PCRA petition,

alleging that his plea and appellate counsels were ineffective regarding his

plea and sentencing for the second count of third-degree murder.5 Over the

next several years, the Commonwealth and Appellant filed answers and

responses, respectively.6 Ultimately, on December 21, 2021, the PCRA court

issued a Pa.R.Crim.P. 907 notice of its intent to dismiss Appellant’s petition

without a hearing, along with an accompanying opinion.       Appellant filed a

response, but on January 18, 2022, the court issued an order dismissing his

petition. The court’s order was filed at both CP-15-CR-0004817-2011 and CP-

15-CR-0000709-2012.

       On October 7, 2022, Appellant filed a PCRA petition (again, at both

docket numbers) seeking reinstatement of his right to appeal from the January

18, 2022 order denying his petition, arguing that his PCRA counsel had
____________________________________________

5 Confusingly, Appellant filed his PCRA petition at both docket numbers CP-

15-CR-0004817-2011 and CP-15-CR-0000709-2012, despite that the charges
were withdrawn, and no judgment of sentence exists, at CP-15-CR-0004817-
2011.

6 As the PCRA court points out, the Commonwealth and Appellant each filed

numerous requests for extensions of time to file these answers and responses,
which the court granted. See PCO at 4. According to the court, “[s]aid
requests were granted in the interest of justice and because [Appellant] is not
challenging the 20 to 40 year sentence he agreed to on [the first count of
third-degree murder], which he is currently serving. Therefore, although
there has been a delay in addressing the PCRA action, [Appellant] has not
been negatively affected.” Id.

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abandoned him and had failed to file a requested appeal on his behalf. On

April 3, 2023, an “Order Granting Request To Appeal Denial Of PCRA Petition

Nunc Pro Tunc” was entered at both trial court docket numbers.

       On May 2, 2023, Appellant timely filed a nunc pro tunc notice of appeal

from the January 18, 2022 order, which was docketed at 1207 EDA 2023.7

The May 2, 2023 notice of appeal listed both trial court docket numbers in the

caption. On May 4, 2023, Appellant filed in the trial court an amended notice

of appeal (1208 EDA 2023) from the “dismissal of the PCRA entered in this

matter on the 18th day of January 2022,” listing only CP-15-CR-0004817-

2011 in the caption. That same day, Appellant also filed in the trial court an

amended notice of appeal (1209 EDA 2023) from the “dismissal of the PCRA

entered in this matter on the 18th day of January 2022,” listing only CP-15-

CR-0000709-2012 in the caption.8

       At this juncture, we note that in Commonwealth v. Walker, 185 A.3d

969 (Pa. 2018), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that appellants are

____________________________________________

7 Although Appellant’s notice of appeal stated he is appealing from the
dismissal of the PCRA petition entered on the April 19, 2022, it is clear that
his appeal actually lies from the January 18, 2022 order. Thus, the appeal
docket in 1207 EDA 2023 has been corrected to reflect that date.
8 On January 18, 2024, this Court entered an order consolidating Appellant’s

three appeals. In that same order, we also took judicial notice of the fact that
Appellant’s counsel of record, now-Judge Thomas Patrick McCabe, had
assumed the bench at the Chester County Court of Common Pleas following
the filing of Appellant’s appeals. Then-Attorney McCabe had filed petitions to
withdraw as counsel in each appeal, which we granted. We remanded for the
appointment of new counsel, and Attorney Werner was appointed below.

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required to file separate notices of appeal when a single order resolves issues

arising on more than one lower court docket. The decision applies to all cases

filed after June 1, 2018. However, in Commonwealth v. Stansbury, 219

A.3d 157 (Pa. Super. 2019), this Court concluded that a breakdown in the

courts occurs when a PCRA court advises petitioners that they can pursue

appellate review by filing a single notice of appeal, even though the order

disposes of petitions pending at multiple docket numbers.             See also

Commonwealth v. Larkin, 235 A.3d 350, 352-54 (Pa. Super. 2020) (en

banc) (reaffirming Stansbury).9

       Here, the PCRA court’s April 3, 2023 order reinstating Appellant’s appeal

rights from the January 18, 2022 order listed both trial court docket numbers

in the caption and stated, “Defendant shall file a Notice of Appeal within thirty

days….” Order, 4/3/23, at 1 (emphasis added). Additionally, the PCRA court’s

January 18, 2022 dismissal order listed both trial court docket numbers in the

caption and stated, “Defendant is advised that this is a final Order and he has

thirty (30) days in which to appeal.” Order, 1/18/22, at 1. Thus, because the

court’s orders indicated that a singular appeal would suffice, we conclude that

there was a breakdown as per Stansbury and Larkin, and we will allow the
____________________________________________

9   The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania also went on to hold, in
Commonwealth v. Young, 265 A.3d 462, 477 n.19 (Pa. 2021), that quashal
is not mandatory where the appellant fails to comply with Walker. Instead,
as long as the appeal is timely, we may permit the appellant to correct the
error.   Additionally, following Walker and Young, Pa.R.A.P. 902 was
amended to align with the holdings in those decisions. See Pa.R.A.P. 902(a),
(b).

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timely appeal at docket No. 1207 EDA 2023 to proceed. Given this disposition,

we quash Appellant’s duplicative, amended appeals at docket Nos. 1208 EDA

2023 and 1209 EDA 2023.

       On February 8, 2024, Attorney Werner filed with this Court a petition to

withdraw as counsel and an Anders Brief, asserting that Appellant has no

non-frivolous issues to raise on appeal. Again, as a Turner/Finley letter is

the appropriate filing when counsel seeks to withdraw from an appeal from

the denial of PCRA relief, we will assess Attorney Werner’s petition to withdraw

and Anders brief under the dictates of Turner/Finley.

       In Turner, our Supreme Court “set forth the appropriate procedures for

the withdrawal of court-appointed counsel in collateral attacks on criminal

convictions[.]” Turner, 544 A.2d at 927. The traditional requirements for

proper withdrawal of PCRA counsel, originally set forth in Finley, were

updated by this Court in Commonwealth v. Friend, 896 A.2d 607 (Pa.

Super. 2006), abrogated by Commonwealth v. Pitts, 981 A.2d 875 (Pa.

2009),10 which provides:

       1) As part of an application to withdraw as counsel, PCRA counsel
       must attach to the application a “no-merit” letter[;]

____________________________________________

10 In Pitts, our Supreme Court abrogated Friend “[t]o the extent Friend
stands for the proposition that an appellate court may sua sponte review the
sufficiency of a no-merit letter when the defendant has not raised such issue.”
Pitts, 981 A.2d at 879. In this case, Attorney Werner filed his petition to
withdraw and no-merit letter with this Court and, thus, our Supreme Court’s
holding in Pitts is inapplicable.

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      2) PCRA counsel must, in the “no-merit” letter, list each claim the
      petitioner wishes to have reviewed, and detail the nature and
      extent of counsel’s review of the merits of each of those claims[;]

      3) PCRA counsel must set forth in the “no-merit” letter an
      explanation of why the petitioner’s issues are meritless[;]

      4) PCRA counsel must contemporaneously forward to the
      petitioner a copy of the application to withdraw, which must
      include (i) a copy of both the “no-merit” letter, and (ii) a
      statement advising the PCRA petitioner that, in the event the trial
      court grants the application of counsel to withdraw, the petitioner
      has the right to proceed pro se, or with the assistance of privately
      retained counsel;

      5) the court must conduct its own independent review of the
      record in the light of the PCRA petition and the issues set forth
      therein, as well as of the contents of the petition of PCRA counsel
      to withdraw; and

      6) the court must agree with counsel that the petition is meritless.

Friend, 896 A.2d at 615 (footnote omitted).

      In this case, Attorney Werner’s no-merit letter sets forth each claim that

Appellant “wishes to have reviewed, and detail[s] the nature and extent of

counsel’s review of the merits of each of those claims[.]” Id. Attorney Werner

also includes an explanation as to why each issue is meritless. See Anders

Brief at 11-51. Additionally, in his petition to withdraw, Attorney Werner has

sufficiently evidenced the nature and extent of his review, and states that he

has forwarded to Appellant a copy of his petition to withdraw and no-merit

letter. Attorney Werner has also advised Appellant that he has the right to

proceed with this appeal pro se or to hire new counsel. Accordingly, we find

that Attorney Werner has complied with the first four prongs of the revised

test set forth in Friend.

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       Next, this Court must conduct its own independent review of the record

in light of the issues presented in Appellant’s PCRA petition. We do so under

the following standard of review:

       “In reviewing the propriety of an order granting or denying PCRA
       relief, an appellate court is limited to ascertaining whether the
       record supports the determination of the PCRA court and whether
       the ruling is free of legal error.” Commonwealth v. Johnson, …
       966 A.2d 523, 532 ([Pa.] 2009). We pay great deference to the
       findings of the PCRA court, “but its legal determinations are
       subject to our plenary review.” Id.

Commonwealth v. Matias, 63 A.3d 807, 810 (Pa. Super. 2013).

       In assessing Appellant’s issues, we have reviewed the certified record,

the briefs of the parties, and the applicable law.        Additionally, we have

examined the well-reasoned opinion, filed on December 21, 2021, by the

Honorable Analisa Sondergaard of the Court of Common Pleas of Chester

County.11     We conclude that Judge Sondergaard’s comprehensive opinion

accurately disposes of the issues presented by Appellant, and demonstrates

that his claims are meritless.        Accordingly, we adopt Judge Sondergaard’s

opinion as our own and affirm the order dismissing Appellant’s PCRA petition

at docket No. 1207 EDA 2023 for the reasons set forth therein.          For the

reasons stated supra, we quash his appeals at docket Nos. 1208 EDA 2023

____________________________________________

11 It does not appear that Judge Sondergaard ordered Appellant to file a
Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) concise statement of errors complained of on appeal. In
lieu of a Rule 1925(a) opinion, Judge Sondegaard filed a “Statement of the
Court” on May 24, 2023, indicating that she is relying on the rationale set
forth in her December 21, 2021 opinion to support her dismissal of Appellant’s
petition.

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and 1209 EDA 2023.   Additionally, we grant Attorney Werner’s petition to

withdraw.

     Order affirmed at No. 1207 EDA 2023. Appeals quashed at Nos. 1208

EDA 2023 and 1209 EDA 2023. Petition to withdraw granted.

Date: 3/7/2024

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