Criminal Law — Practice — Post Conviction Hearing Act — Dismissal of petition without hearing — Alleged ineffective assistance of counsel — Silent record — Remand of case for hearing.
1. If a petition alleges facts that if proven would entitle the petitioner to relief, the court shall grant a hearing which may extend only to the issues raised in the petition or answer.
2. Allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel in taking a direct appeal, when not refuted by the record, are sufficient to require a hearing to determine the merits of petitioner's claim.
3. Where the record is silent as to whether post-trial motions were filed and as to why appellant failed to appeal directly, the case must be remanded for an evidentiary hearing.
Submitted November 11, 1974.
OPINION BY PRICE, J., February 27, 1975:
This appeal follows the dismissal of a Post Conviction Hearing Act (PCHA) petition without a hearing. The petition alleged that appellant's court-appointed counsel failed to notify him of the denial of post-trial motions in time to enable a direct appeal, and that exculpatory evidence not available at the time of trial subsequently became available.
The docket entries do not include either a date on which post-trial motions were filed, or a date on which an order denying the motions was made.
With regard to appellant's allegation of ineffective assistance of counsel, it is well settled law in Pennsylvania that "[i]f a petition alleges facts that if proven would entitle the petitioner to relief, the court shall grant a hearing which may extend only to the issues raised in the petition or answer." The Post Conviction Hearing Act, Act of January 25, 1966, P.L. (1965) 1580, § 9, 19 P. S. § 1180-9. Furthermore, it has been held that allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel in taking a direct appeal, when not refuted by the record, are sufficient to require a hearing to determine the merits of petitioner's claim. Commonwealth v. Davis, 433 Pa. 267, 249 A.2d 766 (1969); Commonwealth ex rel. Newsome v. Myers, 422 Pa. 240, 220 A.2d 886 (1966).
In this case, the record is silent as to whether post-trial motions were filed and as to why appellant failed to appeal directly. On this basis, we must remand the case with instructions to hold an evidentiary hearing. Commonwealth v. Van Hillsman, 229 Pa. Super. 467, 323 A.2d 35 (1974).
Appellant also asserted that since his trial, he has discovered exculpatory evidence. That evidence would be the testimony of an eye-witness to appellant's crime. We do not pass upon the merits of petitioner's allegation herein. However, we believe appellant must be given the opportunity to prove his allegation at an evidentiary hearing, by establishing, if he is able, that the evidence was discovered after trial and could not have been obtained at trial by reasonable diligence, that it is not cumulative or of such a nature that it merely impeaches credibility, and that it would be likely to compel a different result. Commonwealth v. Cooney, 444 Pa. 416, 282 A.2d 29 (1971); Commonwealth v. Schuck, 401 Pa. 222, 164 A.2d 13 (1960).
Appellant was convicted, following a non-jury trial on December 7, 1971, of burglary, larceny and receiving stolen goods on Indictment No. 5699 September, 1971, and of armed robbery on Indictment No. 5698 September, 1971. Demurrers to the charges of receiving stolen goods and conspiracy to do an unlawful act (Indictment No. 5698) were sustained at trial.
The order of the lower court is vacated and the case remanded with directions to hold an evidentiary hearing as provided by the Post Conviction Hearing Act.