Com. v. Johnson, A.

Superior Court of Pennsylvania·Decided August 27, 2018·No. 160 MDA 2018·Unpublished

Opinion

J-S45022-18

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : ARMONI M. JOHNSON : : Appellant : No. 160 MDA 2018

Appeal from the PCRA Order January 4, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-40-CR-0002713-2011

BEFORE: PANELLA, J., OTT, J., and PLATT, J.

MEMORANDUM BY OTT, J.: FILED AUGUST 27, 2018

Armoni M. Johnson appeals pro se1 from the order entered January 4,

2018, in the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County, that denied, after a

hearing his timely, first petition filed pursuant to the Pennsylvania Post

Conviction Relief Act (PCRA), 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546. Johnson seeks relief

from the judgment of sentence to serve an aggregate term of 5½ to 13 years’

imprisonment, followed by 5 years’ probation, imposed after he was found

guilty by a jury of two counts of aggravated assault.2 While it is difficult to

discern Johnson’s claims, we are able to glean two issues, namely, (1) ____________________________________________

 Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.

1 The PCRA court conducted a Grazier hearing and allowed Johnson to proceed pro se. See Commonwealth v. Grazier, 713 A.2d 81 (Pa. 1998).

2 18 Pa.C.S. § 2702(a)(1), (a)(4). J-S45022-18

ineffectiveness of counsel/conflict of interest, and (2) ineffectiveness of

counsel/Brady violation/prosecutorial misconduct. Both claims are related to

the fact that Justin Barna, the victim in this case, was the confidential

informant in an unrelated case against Johnson (Docket No. 2553-2012).3

Based upon the following, we affirm.

The facts and procedural history of this case are set forth in the PCRA

court’s opinion, and there is no need to restate the background of this case

herein. See PCRA Court Opinion, 1/4/2018. We simply state that the charges

against Johnson stemmed from the August 7, 2011, stabbing of victim, Justin

Barna, who had previously purchased drugs from Johnson.

Our standard of review of the denial of PCRA relief is well settled: “For

the claims on which a hearing was held, we consider whether the PCRA court’s

findings are supported by the record and free of legal error.”

Commonwealth v. Baumhammers, 92 A.3d 708, 714 (Pa. 2014).

At the outset, we stress that appellate briefs are required to “conform

in all material respects” with the briefing requirements set forth in the

Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure, and this Court may quash or

dismiss an appeal if the defects in the brief are substantial. Pa.R.A.P. 2101;

Commonwealth v. Adams, 882 A.2d 496, 497-498 (Pa. Super. 2005) (“This

Court may quash or dismiss an appeal if the appellant fails to conform to the

____________________________________________

3 The unrebutted testimony at the PCRA hearing was Justin Barna became a confidential informant against Johnson after Johnson had already assaulted him. See N.T. (PCRA Hearing), 12/1/2017, at 50-51.

-2- J-S45022-18

requirements set forth in the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure.”).

Furthermore, an appellant’s pro se status does not excuse his failure to comply

with the rules of appellate practice. See id. at 498 (“Although this Court is

willing to liberally construe materials filed by a pro se litigant, pro se status

confers no special benefit upon the appellant.”); Commonwealth v. Rivera,

685 A.2d 1011, 1013 (Pa. Super. 1996) (“While this Court is willing to liberally

construe materials filed by pro se litigants, ... appellant is not entitled to any

particular advantage because [he] lacks legal training.”) (citation omitted).

Here, Johnson’s pro se brief fails to conform to our Appellate Rules and it is

difficult to decipher his arguments. Nevertheless, because we are able to

glean the nature of two claims from the brief, we will proceed to examine the

merits of his claims.

The PCRA court has provided a thorough opinion that fully addresses the

issues raised in this appeal. See PCRA Court Opinion, 1/4/2018 (finding: (1)

Johnson’s claim that trial counsel’s withdrawal in the unrelated matter pending

against Johnson (Docket No. 2553-2012) adversely affected this case lacked

arguable merit and there was no ineffectiveness prejudice, and (2) Johnson’s

claim that the Commonwealth did not disclose that Justin Barna, the victim in

this case, was the confidential informant in the case pending against him at

Docket No. 2533-2012 failed as Johnson’s evidence did not establish the

elements of a Brady violation and there was no ineffectiveness prejudice).

Based on our review, we find the PCRA court’s rationale is correct and there

-3- J-S45022-18

is no basis upon which to disturb the decision of the PCRA court. Accordingly,

we affirm on the basis of the PCRA court’s opinion.4

Order affirmed. All outstanding motions dismissed.

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary

Date: 08/27/2018

4In the event of further proceedings, the parties are directed to attach a copy of the PCRA court’s January 4, 2018, opinion to this memorandum.

-4- Circulated 08/09/2018 11:16 AM

f: .J7":.

e COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF LUZERNE COUNTY v. - CRIMINAL- ARMONI JOHNSON : NO. 2713 OF 2011

Defendant 2092 MDA 2016

OPINION

FACTUAL HISTORY

. On August 7, 2011, the victim, Justin Barna, was a resident in the Capital

HUI Apartments, Mountaintop, Pennsylvania. In the past, Justin Barna was a

regular user of heroin and had purchased drugs from Defendant, hereinafter

"Johnson", in particular, heroin. Approximately one week prior to the date of the

incident, the victim purchased four (4) bags of heroin from Johnson. On August 5,

2011, Johnson contacted the victim and accused him of robbing him of his drugs

and Informing him that he was coming to his home to retrieve the same.

On August 7, 2011, the victim had been with his neighbor, Jeffery Petry, tr». � 0 >- 31 a ving tra.\reled to a pawn shop in the Wilkes-Barte, area and then returning to a ::t: c: :::l {._) c.. _,. '....) r::)

�he\r resJi�ive apartments. On that date, the victim heard a knock at the door. x:: z �� rx: � :-..:_:;� �As�e '-<� slightly opened his door, Johnson pushed the door open and (..) Q .....J c.... commenced stabbing him. Johnson repeatedly stabbed the victim In the victim's

1 •. apartment and again in the hallway causing the victim to fall through his

neighbor's, Jeffery Petry's door. The victim was transported to the hospital where

he spent five (5) days and underwent three (3) separate surgeries. Johnson

stabbed the victim in the stomach, under the arm, and in the back.

The Commonwealth called Jeffery Petry as a witness who was a neighbor of

the victim, Justin Barna, at the Capital Hill Apartments. Mr. Petry testified that

after the victim left his apartment on August 7, 2011, he heard noises, including a

voice saying "You're stabbing me!" ... He further testified that he observed a knife

in Justin Barna's apartment with blood on it.

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