Court Opinion

ID: 9635514
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 13:52:50.134083+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:28.801967
License: Public Domain

ROBERTS, Justice
(concurring).
I agree with the majority that appellant’s appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to raise on direct appeal the prosecutor’s improper closing remarks, which were inflammatory and prejudicial. Ordinarily, once this Court finds appellate counsel was ineffective for having failed to raise an issue, we need only grant the petitioner the right to file a new appeal raising the issue appellate counsel was ineffective f'or failing to raise. In this case, however, it is clear that appellant would be successful in his appeal and that a new trial would necessarily be granted because of the prosecutor’s improper closing argument. E. g., Commonwealth v. Cherry, 474 Pa. 295, 378 A.2d 800 (1977); Commonwealth v. Gilman, 470 Pa. 179, 368 A.2d 253 (1977); Commonwealth v. Joyner, 469 Pa. 333, 365 A.2d 1233 (1976); Commonwealth v. Harvell, 458 Pa. 406, 327 A.2d 27 (1974). All the facts of record necessary to decide whether the prosecutor’s closing argument was improper are before us, and the parties have briefed the issue. Therefore, in the interest of judicial economy, it is appropriate to proceed to the merits of appellant’s claim. See Commonwealth ex rel. Smith v. Myers, 438 Pa. 218, 261 A.2d 550 (1970); Commonwealth v. Gist, 433 Pa. 101, 249 A.2d 351 (1969).
Because the prosecutor’s closing remarks deprived appellant of a fair trial, Commonwealth v. Simon, 432 Pa. 386, 248 A.2d 289 (1968), I agree that judgment of sentence should be reversed and a new trial granted.