Com. v. O'Brian, J.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 5, 2026
Docket660 MDA 2024
StatusUnpublished
AuthorBender

This text of Com. v. O'Brian, J. (Com. v. O'Brian, J.) 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. O'Brian, J., (Pa. Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

J-S10045-26

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : JONATHAN ALLAN O'BRIAN : : Appellant : No. 660 MDA 2024 :

Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered April 24, 2024 In the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-22-CR-0003612-2018

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

MEMORANDUM BY BENDER, P.J.E.: FILED: MAY 5, 2026

Jonathan Allan O’Brian (“Appellant”) appeals from the order dismissing

his first petition for relief filed pursuant to the Post Conviction Relief Act

(PCRA), 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546. Additionally, Appellant’s counsel, Kristen

L. Weisenberger, Esq. has filed a petition to withdraw from representation and

a brief styled pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).1 After

____________________________________________

1 As will be discussed infra, the proper vehicle for counsel’s withdrawal after

the denial of a PCRA petition is not an Anders brief, but rather a no-merit letter under Commonwealth v. Turner, 544 A.2d 927 (Pa. 1988), and Commonwealth v. Finley, 550 A.2d 213 (Pa. Super. 1988) (en banc) (collectively, Turner/Finley). Although Anders and Turner/Finley bear certain similarities in that, in each, counsel is required to independently examine the certified record and present the appellant’s issues to the reviewing court, there are also significant differences. See Commonwealth v. Wrecks, 931 A.2d 717 (Pa. Super. 2007) (explaining the differences). However, “because an Anders brief provides greater protection to a defendant, this Court may accept an Anders brief in lieu of a Turner/Finley letter.” Commonwealth v. Reed, 107 A.3d 137, 139 n.5 (Pa. Super. 2014). J-S10045-26

careful consideration, we affirm the order denying PCRA relief and grant

counsel’s request to withdraw.

We briefly note the history of this case. Following a jury trial, Appellant

was sentenced on November 25, 2019, to an aggregate term of 30 to 60 years

of incarceration, followed by 10 years of probation, for his convictions for rape

of a child (18 Pa.C.S. § 3121(c)), two counts of involuntary deviate sexual

intercourse (IDSI) with a child (18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b)), unlawful contact with

a minor (18 Pa.C.S. § 6318(a)(i)), indecent assault of a person under the age

of 13 (18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(7)), corruption of minors (18 Pa.C.S.

§ 6301(a)(1)(ii)) and indecent exposure (18 Pa.C.S. § 3127(a)). The charges

stemmed from sexual abuse committed by Appellant upon his step-daughter,

starting when she was seven to eight years old.

After his conviction, Appellant filed a timely post-sentence motion,

which the court denied on December 11, 2019. On appeal, this Court affirmed

his judgment of sentence. Commonwealth v. O’Brian, 72 MDA 2020, 2021

WL 655441 (Pa. Super. filed February 19, 2021)(unpublished memorandum).

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Appellant’s petition for allowance of

appeal on May 2, 2022. Commonwealth v. O’Brian, 286 MAL 2021, 277

A.3d 552 (Pa. 2022) (table).

Appellant filed a timely, pro se, PCRA petition on December 6, 2022. In

response, the court appointed William Shreve, Esquire. However, on January

5, 2023, Attorney Shreve filed a Turner/Finley letter and a motion to

withdraw because he had concluded that Appellant’s issues were previously

-2- J-S10045-26

litigated or lacked merit. On April 18, 2023, the PCRA court filed a notice

under Pa.R.Crim.P. 907 of its intention to dismiss Appellant’s PCRA petition

without a hearing. Appellant asked for and was granted an extension of time

to respond to the Rule 907 notice.

On May 4, 2023, Appellant filed another pro se PCRA petition. The court

responded via an order dated May 11, 2023, erroneously concluding that it

had no jurisdiction to address this petition as Appellant’s first PCRA petition

remained outstanding. See Commonwealth v. Montgomery, 181 A.3d

359, 365 (Pa. Super. 2018) (en banc) (holding that “PCRA courts are not

jurisdictionally barred from considering multiple PCRA petitions relating to the

same judgment of sentence at the same time unless the PCRA court’s order

regarding a previously filed petition is on appeal and, therefore, not yet final”).

Appellant then asked for more time to respond to the court’s Rule 907 notice,

which request was granted. On September 20, 2023, the PCRA court issued

an order which responded to many of Appellant’s pro se letters to the court,

while repeating its error that the court was jurisdictionally barred from

considering Appellant’s second PCRA petition that Appellant filed on May 4,

2023.2 The court also denied Appellant’s request for new counsel and

reminded Appellant of the upcoming deadline to respond to the Rule 907

2 As Appellant did not seek permission to amend or supplement his petition, the PCRA court should have determined whether the May 4, 2023, petition was timely.

-3- J-S10045-26

notice. When Appellant missed that deadline, the PCRA court issued a final

order dismissing his PCRA petition. Order, 4/24/24.

While the PCRA court had not ruled on Attorney Shreve’s motion to

withdraw, Appellant filed a timely pro se notice of appeal on May 10, 2024.

The PCRA court ordered Appellant to file a concise statement of errors

complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925. Appellant wrote pro se

letters to the trial court asking for certain things such as copies of his discovery

and also asking the court to order visitation between Appellant and his

children. The trial court responded by filing an order noting that it would not

address matters contained in Appellant’s letters that had nothing to do with

his criminal case. Order, 7/23/24. When Appellant had not filed his statement

of errors by the due date, the trial court issued an opinion suggesting that all

of his issues were waived. PCRA Court Opinion, 7/30/24.

After the PCRA court issued its opinion indicating waiver, Appellant filed

a pro se application for relief in this Court, noting that he had not received

notice of the deadline for filing his concise statement. Application For Relief,

8/28/24. Thereafter, this Court asked the PCRA court to conduct a hearing to

determine whether Appellant had received proper notice. Order, 11/1/24.

The trial court ultimately concluded that Appellant had not received notice.

Thus, the record was remanded for Appellant to file his statement of errors

nunc pro tunc, and for the court to issue a supplemental opinion. Order,

2/18/25.

-4- J-S10045-26

Appellant filed another PCRA petition on February 5, 2025, and sent a

letter to the PCRA court asking to amend the petition with an additional issue

on February 18, 2025. Appellant then filed a motion seeking to stay

consideration of this petition. In response, the PCRA court granted the stay,

noting that it did not have the jurisdiction to consider the new PCRA petition

while the first remained outstanding. Order, 3/18/25.

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