Com. v. Jarrett, G.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 29, 2019
Docket29 WDA 2018
StatusUnpublished

This text of Com. v. Jarrett, G. (Com. v. Jarrett, G.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Com. v. Jarrett, G., (Pa. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

J-S43024-18

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : GEROD MAURICE JARRETT, : : Appellant : No. 29 WDA 2018

Appeal from the PCRA Order December 6, 2017 In the Court of Common Pleas of Erie County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-25-CR-0001882-2013, CP-25-CR-0001884-2013

BEFORE: STABILE, J., DUBOW, J., and NICHOLS, J.

MEMORANDUM BY DUBOW, J.: FILED JANUARY 29, 2019

Appellant Gerod Maurice Jarrett seeks review of the Order entered on

December 6, 2017, denying his first Petition filed pursuant to the Post

Conviction Relief Act, 42 Pa.C.S. §9541-9546 (“PCRA”). Appellant challenges

the stewardship of trial and appellate counsel and the legality of his sentence.

We affirm.

The factual and procedural history of this case is set forth in this Court’s

Memorandum affirming Appellant’s Judgment of Sentence imposed after a jury

found him guilty of Robbery and related offenses. See Commonwealth v.

Jarrett, No. 1197 WDA 2014 (Pa. Super. filed July 7, 2015).1 The Supreme ____________________________________________

1In sum, Appellant robbed a man at gunpoint in the City of Erie on April 8. 2013. The victim subsequently obtained a sawed off shotgun to retaliate. Police officers arrested the victim because of the weapon. The victim identified J-S43024-18

Court denied allowance of appeal on December 22, 2015. Appellant’s

Judgment of Sentence became final ninety days later on March 14, 2016, when

his time for seeking review from the U.S. Supreme Court expired. See U.S.

Ct. R. 13.

On January 23, 2017, Appellant timely filed his PCRA Petition pro se,

raising twelve issues. The court appointed counsel, who filed a

Turner/Finley2 letter and a Petition to Withdraw as counsel asserting that

the Petition was untimely. After Appellant objected to counsel’s

Turner/Finley letter and Motion to Withdraw,3 the PCRA Court directed

____________________________________________

Appellant as the shooter after looking at a photo array compiled by investigating police detectives. The victim also described the jewelry that was stolen from his person and the black semiautomatic pistol used in the robbery. Police arrested Appellant and recovered a black handgun and the victim’s jewelry from Appellant’s car. Appellant had a bifurcated trial.

2Commonwealth v. Turner, 544 A.2d 927 (Pa. 1988); Commonwealth v. Finley, 550 A.2d 213 (Pa. Super. 1988) (en banc).

3 Appellant also filed a complaint with the Attorney Disciplinary Board. The Disciplinary Board investigated the complaint, spoke with PCRA counsel, and concluded counsel had simply made an error which he indicated he would correct. See Letter from Office of Disciplinary Counsel, dated 4/27/17. Appellant, acting pro se, forwarded a copy of the Disciplinary Board letter to the PCRA Court and requested that new counsel be appointed, noting that appointed counsel “at no time during the course of his representation … attempted to gather any information from me for purposes of preparing an Amended PCRA Petition[.]” See Letter from Appellant to Hon. John Garhart, filed 5/11/17. The court of common pleas (“CCP”) docket indicates that the court clerk forwarded Appellant’s letter to PCRA counsel and to the PCRA judge on May 11, 2017. No further action was taken on Appellant’s request. Appellant’s PCRA counsel continues to represent him in this Appeal.

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counsel to “re-examine the facts and law underpinning his Turner/Finley [ ]

letter,” and “[i]n the event the subject PCRA petition is found to be timely,

this Court directs [appointed counsel] to thoroughly examine the merits of

each of Petitioner’s substantive claims” and file an amended or supplemental

PCRA Petition or submit a No Merit letter within 30 days. Order, filed 4/17/17.4

On June 26, 2017, counsel filed a “Supplement” to Appellant’s pro se

PCRA Petition in which he “rescinded” his Turner/Finley letter and his Motion

to Withdraw as counsel because “a substantive review and evaluation of

Petitioner’s underlying PCRA claims is warranted.” In the Supplement, PCRA

counsel addressed Appellant’s challenge to the legality of sentence, and

restated Appellant’s other issues in one or two sentences without providing

any substantive review and evaluation of Appellant’s remaining claims.

On October 24, 2017, the Court held a hearing limited to the issue of

why trial counsel did not present Ebony Flemings as a defense witness at trial.

On October 30, 2017, the court issued a “Notice of Intent to Dismiss without

4 Counsel thereafter filed a Motion for Extension of Time, acknowledging that he had “misapprehended the procedural history” of Appellant’s case and requesting a 45-day extension to file the “appropriate supplemental pleading given … that Petitioner has pled numerous claims[.]” Motion, filed 5/11/17 at ¶¶5, 7. The Court granted the counsel’s Motion.

-3- J-S43024-18

a Hearing pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 907.”5 On December 6, 2017, the PCRA

dismissed the PCRA Petition.

Appellant timely appealed and filed a Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) Statement. The

PCRA court filed a “1925(a) Opinion,” incorporating its Rule 907 Notice. PCRA

Ct.’s “1925(a) Opinion,” filed Jan. 29, 2018.

Appellant raises the following issues for this Court’s review:

1. Whether [Appellant] presented a legally viable claim possessed of arguable merit that would compel the striking of the sentence and resentencing in light of the U.S. Supreme Court case of Alleyne v. United States, [570 U.S. 99] (2013)?

2. Whether [Appellant] states a claim for relief under Section 9714(a)(2), “the three strike law” as there was no factual or legal predicate for purposes of subjection him to the three strike law in that there was no predicate of a second strike in his criminal history for purposes of instigating and applying the three strike law for the instant case?

3. Whether [Appellant was afforded ineffective [assistance] of counsel for failure to file a suppression motion seeking the suppression of the firearm as sought by [Appellant] in a written directive to counsel?

4. Whether [Appellant] was afforded ineffective assistance of counsel in that [] defense counsel only met with him twice prior to trial and then principally for the purpose of relaying plea offers

5 In its Rule 907 Notice, the PCRA court addressed Appellant’s challenge to the legality of sentence, Appellant’s claims of trial counsel’s ineffectiveness for failing to request suppression of the gun and failing to call Ebony Flemings, and Appellant’s claim of an alleged Brady violation. See Rule 907 Notice, filed 10/30/17, at 6-15. The PCRA court discussed trial counsel’s testimony regarding why Ebony Flemings did not testify at trial, referencing the Oct. 24, 2017 hearing. Id. at 15. With respect to the other ineffectiveness claims, the court concluded: “[a]fter close analysis, Petitioner’s remaining claims are vague, undecipherable, or clearly frivolous. As such, we will not address those claims herein.” Rule 907 Notice at 5.

-4- J-S43024-18

to him instead of coordinating with [Appellant] for purposes of the preparation of a defense for trial?

5.

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Related

Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
Apprendi v. New Jersey
530 U.S. 466 (Supreme Court, 2000)
Alleyne v. United States
133 S. Ct. 2151 (Supreme Court, 2013)
Commonwealth v. Finley
550 A.2d 213 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1988)
Commonwealth v. Beshore
916 A.2d 1128 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2007)
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527 A.2d 973 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1987)
Commonwealth v. McClintic
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804 A.2d 1 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Commonwealth v. Turner
544 A.2d 927 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1988)
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