Com. v. Evans, K., III ( 2019 )


Menu:
  • J-S41040-19
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION – SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,              :     IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    :           PENNSYLVANIA
    Appellee                 :
    :
    v.                               :
    :
    KENNETH MALIK EVANS, III,                  :
    :
    Appellant                :     No. 1770 MDA 2018
    Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered September 24, 2018
    in the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County
    Criminal Division at No(s): CP-XX-XXXXXXX-2013
    BEFORE:        LAZARUS, J., MURRAY, J. and STRASSBURGER, J.*
    MEMORANDUM BY STRASSBURGER, J.:                FILED: SEPTEMBER 16, 2019
    Kenneth Malik Evans, III (Appellant) appeals from the order entered
    September 24, 2018, dismissing his petition filed under the Post Conviction
    Relief Act (PCRA), 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546. Counsel has filed a petition to
    withdraw and a brief pursuant to Commonwealth v. Turner, 
    544 A.2d 927
    (Pa. 1988) and Commonwealth v. Finley, 
    550 A.2d 213
    (Pa. Super. 1988)
    (en banc). Upon review, we grant counsel’s petition to withdraw and affirm
    the order of the PCRA court.
    In January 2014, a criminal information was filed charging Appellant
    with one count of criminal homicide, stemming from the shooting of
    Shantique Goodson (“the victim”) in the Sherman Hills Apartment Complex
    on November 11, 2013.         Pertinent to this appeal, the evidence presented at
    trial established the following.
    * Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
    J-S41040-19
    [O]n the date in question, Tiara McDuffie (“McDuffie”),
    driving a white Jeep Cherokee with the victim as her passenger,
    drove into the Sherman Hills Apartment Complex. McDuffie did
    not park the car upon entering the complex because she saw
    Appellant in the complex. After seeing Appellant, the victim also
    told McDuffie not to park the vehicle. As a result, McDuffie cut
    across the parking lot and spun the car around to leave the area
    of the complex where Appellant was approaching. The two
    women headed to the apartment of their friend Jasmine Frazier
    (“Frazier”) that was located within the complex.
    After McDuffie stopped the Jeep near Frazier’s apartment,
    Frazier approached the vehicle on the passenger side where the
    victim was sitting. The victim rolled the window down, and the
    parties engaged in a conversation. Moments later, Appellant
    aggressively approached the passenger side of the vehicle and
    addressed the victim. Appellant told the victim to get the “‘F’ out
    of the car.” After the victim refused, Appellant reached for the
    handle of the passenger side door. The victim commented to
    Appellant: “didn’t we discuss this yesterday?” Undeterred,
    Appellant pushed his left hand into the vehicle in an attempt to
    reach for the lock. The victim pushed Appellant’s left hand away
    from the lock, and Appellant then put his right hand into the
    passenger side of the vehicle. With his right hand in the
    passenger side of the vehicle, Appellant shot the victim twice.
    Frazier testified that while she was still leaning into the
    passenger side window, she saw Appellant shoot the victim in
    the lower abdomen. After the two gunshots were fired, McDuffie
    sped away. Appellant continued to fire several shots at the
    vehicle as McDuffie drove off, and Appellant then ran off
    between the buildings of the complex. McDuffie drove the victim
    to the Wilkes–Barre General Hospital emergency room.
    At trial, McDuffie explained that the friendship between the
    victim and Appellant had deteriorated approximately a week
    prior to the shooting. While not entirely clear from the record
    what they were, McDuffie testified that there were “issues”
    existing between victim and Appellant in the days leading up to
    the victim’s homicide. McDuffie testified that “leading up [to] this
    incident, things had got [sic] out of control to [sic] the
    friendship.”
    -2-
    J-S41040-19
    Dr. [Gary] Ross testified[, as an expert in the field of
    forensic pathology,] that the victim suffered two gunshot
    wounds. The first gunshot wound was to the victim’s vulvar
    region. Dr. Ross provided the following explanation regarding
    whether this was a lethal gunshot wound:
    Not in and of itself. It certainly is a survivable
    wound, even though it’s to the vulvar region, even
    though it bled very copiously. It did not bleed
    enough to have—in my opinion, it did not bleed
    enough to have caused death in and of itself. It is
    certainly a medically survivable injury.
    ***
    [The victim] died as a result of a hemorrhage from
    multiple gunshot wounds. This wound contributed to
    that hemorrhage, so this wound contributed to her
    death.
    Dr. Ross further explained that the second gunshot wound was
    to the victim’s right thigh. Dr. Ross provided the following
    testimony regarding gunshot wound number two:
    [Dr. Ross:] Gunshot wound number two is lethal in
    and of it[self]. Gunshot wound number two went
    through the soft tissues of the thigh and tore major
    vessels of the right femoral artery, which is the
    major artery within the right leg and also the right
    femoral vein. This wound bled copiously and she died
    as a result of the extenuation of bleeding from this
    wound.
    [Commonwealth:] Is the femoral artery a vital part
    of the body?
    [Dr. Ross:] It is.
    [Commonwealth:] So [the victim] was shot in a vital
    part of the body, correct, Dr. Ross?
    [Dr. Ross:] Yes.
    -3-
    J-S41040-19
    Commonwealth v. Evans, 
    144 A.3d 198
    (Pa. Super. 2016) (unpublished
    memorandum at *3-4) (citations omitted).
    Following a jury trial, Appellant was found guilty of first-degree
    murder, and on October 24, 2014, Appellant was sentenced to life
    imprisonment   without   the   possibility   of   parole.   This    Court   affirmed
    Appellant’s judgment of sentence on March 14, 2016 and our Supreme Court
    denied his petition for allowance of appeal.      
    Evans, supra
    , appeal denied,
    
    145 A.3d 162
    (Pa. 2016).
    On July 20, 2017, Appellant pro se filed a PCRA petition asserting trial
    court error and ineffective assistance of trial counsel,1 as well as arguing
    that the cumulative effect of counsel’s ineffectiveness denied Appellant the
    right to a fair trial. Pro se PCRA Petition, 7/20/2017, at 3-11 (unnumbered).
    The PCRA court scheduled a hearing on Appellant’s pro se petition,
    appointed Jeffery A. Yelen, Esquire as counsel, and permitted Attorney Yelen
    to file a supplemental petition if he deemed necessary.            No supplemental
    petition was filed, and on August 14, 2018, the PCRA court held an
    evidentiary hearing. There, Appellant testified on his own behalf, raising the
    aforementioned issues, as well as arguing that the evidence was insufficient
    to support his conviction. N.T., 8/14/2018, at 12-14.              In response, the
    Commonwealth called trial counsel to testify. On September 24, 2018, the
    1
    Appellant was represented by co-counsel, Hugh Taylor, Esquire and John
    Pike, Esquire (collectively, “trial counsel”), at trial.
    -4-
    J-S41040-19
    PCRA court filed a memorandum opinion and order, dismissing Appellant’s
    petition.
    Appellant,   through    counsel,   timely   filed   a   notice   of   appeal.2
    Subsequent to filing Appellant’s notice of appeal, Attorney Yelen filed a
    motion for appointment of appellate counsel, seeking permission to withdraw
    and requesting the PCRA court appoint substitute counsel to represent
    Appellant on appeal.         Motion for Appointment of Appellate Counsel,
    10/24/2018.    By order dated October 29, 2018, the PCRA court granted
    Attorney Yelen’s motion and appointed Matthew P. Kelly, Esquire, who
    presently represents Appellant on appeal. Order, 10/29/2018.
    In this Court, Attorney Kelly filed a Turner/Finley brief and an
    application to withdraw as counsel.3 Thus, we must first determine if
    2
    The PCRA court did not direct Appellant to file a concise statement pursuant
    to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). In lieu of an opinion, the PCRA court relied on its
    September 24, 2018 memorandum. See Statement in Lieu of Opinion,
    12/21/2018.
    3 On June 10, 2019, Appellant filed a pro se response to Attorney Kelly’s
    Turner/Finley brief, averring that he has “been subjected to a cascading
    form of ineffective assistance of counsel[.]” Pro se Response, 6/10/2019, at
    3. Therein, Appellant argued that Attorney Yelen provided inadequate
    representation at Appellant’s PCRA hearing and that Attorney Kelly’s
    Turner/Finley brief was insufficient, as it merely “parrot[ed] the opinion of
    the PCRA court[.]” 
    Id. For these
    reasons, Appellant requested this Court:
    (1) dismiss Attorney Kelly’s motion to withdraw; (2) appoint new counsel;
    “and/or” (3) grant Appellant leave to file a pro se supplemental brief in
    support of his objection to Attorney Kelly’s Turner/Finley brief. 
    Id. at 12.
    For the reasons that follow, even assuming arguendo that Appellant has
    been subjected to a “cascading form” of ineffectiveness, because we find
    Appellant’s issues are either not cognizable under the PCRA or wholly lacking
    merit, Appellant cannot prove he has been prejudiced by counsel’s alleged
    -5-
    J-S41040-19
    Attorney Kelly has complied with the technical requirements of Turner and
    Finley.
    … Turner/Finley counsel must review the case zealously.
    Turner/Finley counsel must then submit a “no-merit” letter to
    the trial court, or brief on appeal to this Court, detailing the
    nature and extent of counsel’s diligent review of the case, listing
    the issues which the petitioner wants to have reviewed,
    explaining why and how those issues lack merit, and requesting
    permission to withdraw.
    Counsel must also send to the petitioner: (1) a copy of
    the “no-merit” letter/brief; (2) a copy of counsel’s petition to
    withdraw; and (3) a statement advising petitioner of the right to
    proceed pro se or by new counsel.
    If counsel fails to satisfy the foregoing technical
    prerequisites of Turner/Finley, the court will not reach the
    merits of the underlying claims but, rather, will merely deny
    counsel’s request to withdraw. Upon doing so, the court will
    then take appropriate steps, such as directing counsel to file a
    proper Turner/Finley request or an advocate’s brief.
    However, where counsel submits a petition and no-merit
    letter that do satisfy the technical demands of Turner/Finley,
    the court — trial court or this Court — must then conduct its own
    review of the merits of the case. If the court agrees with
    counsel that the claims are without merit, the court will permit
    counsel to withdraw and deny relief. By contrast, if the claims
    appear to have merit, the court will deny counsel’s request and
    grant relief, or at least instruct counsel to file an advocate’s
    brief.
    Commonwealth v. Wrecks, 
    931 A.2d 717
    , 721 (Pa. Super. 2007)
    (citations omitted).
    After review, we are satisfied that Attorney Kelly has complied with the
    technical requirements of Turner and Finley.      Therefore, we will consider
    shortcomings and therefore, he is not entitled to relief. Thus, we decline to
    grant the relief requested by Appellant in his pro se response.
    -6-
    J-S41040-19
    the substantive issues contained in Attorney Kelly’s brief.           On appeal,
    Attorney Kelly sets forth the following issues for our review, which we have
    reordered for ease of disposition.
    I. Whether the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on
    voluntary manslaughter.
    II. Whether there was sufficient evidence to convict Appellant for
    the crime of criminal homicide.
    III. Whether trial counsel [were] ineffective in representing []
    Appellant.
    Turner/Finley Brief at 1 (unnecessary capitalization omitted).
    Initially, we note that Appellant’s first two issues were raised
    previously by Appellant and addressed by this Court on direct appeal. See
    
    Evans, supra
    .     It is well-settled that previously litigated claims are not
    cognizable under the PCRA. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 9544(a)(2)-(3) (An error is
    considered previously litigated if (1) “the highest appellate court in which the
    petitioner could have had review as a matter of right has ruled on the merits
    of the issue; or” (2) “has been raised and decided in a proceeding
    collaterally attacking the conviction or sentence.”). Thus, Appellant is
    precluded from raising these claims again.
    We   now    address   the      remaining   issue,   which   challenges   the
    effectiveness of trial counsel.      Specifically, Appellant claims trial counsel
    were ineffective for: (1) “allowing two detectives to testify as experts” at
    Appellant’s trial about gunshot residue (GSR) collected after the shooting;
    (2) failing to call, as defense witnesses, the emergency room physicians who
    -7-
    J-S41040-19
    treated the victim; and (3) failing to impeach Commonwealth witnesses,
    Frazier and McDuffie.      Appellant also argues these cumulative errors
    committed by counsel denied him fair trial. Turner/Finley Brief at 4-7. We
    address these individual claims mindful of the following.
    “Our standard of review of a [] court order granting or denying relief
    under the PCRA calls upon us to determine ‘whether the determination of the
    PCRA court is supported by the evidence of record and is free of legal error.’”
    Commonwealth v. Barndt, 
    74 A.3d 185
    , 192 (Pa. Super. 2013) (quoting
    Commonwealth v. Garcia, 
    23 A.3d 1059
    , 1061 (Pa. Super. 2011)).
    “It is well-established that counsel is presumed effective, and the
    defendant bears the burden of proving ineffectiveness.” Commonwealth v.
    Martin, 
    5 A.3d 177
    , 183 (Pa. 2010).          To overcome this presumption,
    Appellant must show each of the following: “(1) the underlying substantive
    claim has arguable merit; (2) counsel whose effectiveness is being
    challenged did not have a reasonable basis for his or her actions or failure to
    act; and (3) the petitioner suffered prejudice as a result of counsel’s
    deficient performance.”   
    Id. Appellant’s claim
    will be denied if he fails to
    meet any one of these three prongs. 
    Id. With respect
    to his first claim, Appellant argues trial counsel were
    ineffective for calling two detectives from the Wilkes-Barre City Police
    Department, Detective David Sobocinski and Detective Ronald Foy, to testify
    -8-
    J-S41040-19
    about GSR that may have been collected from Appellant.          Turner/Finley
    Brief at 5-6. As summarized by the PCRA court:
    Detective Sobocinski testified [at trial] that [Appellant]
    consented to the test and multiple swabs of his right hand were
    collected. On cross-examination, the assistant district attorney
    attempted to inquire as to how a [GSR] test would be affected if
    [Appellant] had washed his hands. An objection to this question
    by defense counsel was sustained by the [trial c]ourt. Detective
    Foy only testified as to sending the [GSR] test sample to a lab.
    Neither detective provided any expert testimony regarding the
    [GSR] test.
    PCRA Court Memorandum Opinion, 9/24/2018, at 3-4 (unnumbered;
    citations omitted).
    At the PCRA hearing, Attorney Taylor testified that the results of the
    GSR test were inconclusive, and part of his and Attorney Pike’s defense
    strategy was to exploit the inconclusiveness of the test.
    We were aware that the [GSR] was [i]nconclusive. The defense
    in [Appellant’s] case was a difficult one given that the bulk of the
    evidence against him was [sic] eyewitness who knew him and
    would testify they observed [Appellant] shoot the victim. So we
    were in a position … [of making] the argument that the evidence
    isn’t beyond a reasonable doubt, that these witnesses are not
    credible, and that there’s no other evidence. Now, the GSR was
    [i]nconclusive[.] …. The reason I went to the question relative to
    the GSR [was] to get as close to the line as possible and get
    into evidence that it’s [i]nconclusive, they don’t have it,
    sufficiency of the investigation, you didn’t do these tests and
    things like that. And get close to the line as possible without,
    you know, letting in evidence that would hurt [Appellant]; but
    ultimately the evidence of the GSR was inconclusive and that’s
    just that[.]
    N.T., 8/14/2018, at 22-23.
    -9-
    J-S41040-19
    In its memorandum opinion, the PCRA court credited Attorney Taylor’s
    testimony as credible and found that the defense strategy employed by
    Appellant’s counsel was reasonable and “that no better alternative existed.”
    PCRA Court Memorandum Opinion, 9/24/2018, at 4, 8 (unnumbered).
    It is well-settled that
    before a claim of ineffectiveness can be sustained, it must be
    determined that, in light of all the alternatives available to
    counsel, the strategy actually employed was so unreasonable
    that no competent lawyer would have chosen it. If a reasonable
    basis exists for the particular course, the inquiry ends and
    counsel’s performance is deemed constitutionally effective. Nor
    can a claim of ineffective assistance generally succeed through
    comparing, by hindsight, the trial strategy employed with
    alternatives not pursued. A finding that a chosen strategy lacked
    a reasonable basis is not warranted unless it can be concluded
    that an alternative not chosen offered a potential for success
    substantially greater than the course actually pursued.
    Commonwealth v. Reed, 
    42 A.3d 314
    , 324 (Pa. Super. 2012) (citations
    and quotation marks omitted).
    Here, the PCRA court found that the detectives did not provide any
    expert testimony, which the certified record confirms. Moreover, the court
    found that any testimony regarding the GSR test that was elicited by counsel
    was part of counsel’s defense strategy and that strategy was reasonable. We
    see no reason to disturb this finding. See Commonwealth v. Jones, 
    912 A.2d 268
    , 293 (Pa. 2006) (“The findings of a post-conviction court, which
    hears evidence and passes on the credibility of witnesses, should be given
    great deference.”).
    - 10 -
    J-S41040-19
    Next, Appellant alleges trial counsel were ineffective for failing to call
    the emergency room surgeons who operated on the victim as witnesses.
    Turner/Finley Brief at 6. Although testimony from Dr. Ross revealed that
    the victim died of multiple gunshot wounds, and specifically, of a gunshot
    wound to the femoral artery, see N.T., 8/20/2015, at 237-38, Appellant
    asserts that because the victim was shot “from the waist down,” counsel
    should have called the emergency room surgeons to testify as to whether
    the victim’s death was preventable.     N.T., 8/14/2018, at 8-9. Essentially,
    Appellant is implying that the emergency room surgeons who treated the
    victim were negligent and that their negligence contributed to, or was the
    cause of, the victim’s death. 
    Id. In order
    to establish that trial counsel was ineffective for failing
    to call witnesses, a petitioner must: (1) identify the witness or
    witnesses; (2) demonstrate that counsel actually knew, or had a
    duty to know, the identity of the witness or witnesses prior to
    trial; (3) demonstrate that the witness or witnesses were ready,
    willing and able to testify for the defense at trial; and (4)
    demonstrate that the proposed testimony would have been
    helpful to the defense asserted at trial.
    Commonwealth v. Neal, 
    713 A.2d 657
    , 663 (Pa. Super. 1998).
    In considering Appellant’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel for
    failing to call these alleged witnesses, the PCRA court found Appellant was
    not entitled to relief because Appellant failed to present the testimony of the
    emergency room surgeons at the PCRA hearing. Memorandum, 9/24/2018,
    at 5-6 (unnumbered) (“Without hearing the testimony of the emergency
    room surgeons, th[e PCRA court] is unable to determine if they were willing
    - 11 -
    J-S41040-19
    to testify and whether they would have been beneficial to the defense.”).
    Additionally, the court found Appellant “failed to submit affidavits from the
    emergency room surgeons indicating their availability and willingness to
    testify for the defense.”   
    Id. at 6
    (unnumbered).     Lastly, the PCRA court
    found that
    [u]pon consideration of the testimony provided by Dr. Ross, it is
    clear that the victim had no chance of survival based upon the
    location of the gunshot wound. It is highly unlikely that the
    emergency room physicians would have essentially admitted
    their own negligence and testified that they should have
    prevented the victim’s death.
    
    Id. We agree.
    Here, Appellant baldy asserts that had the emergency room surgeons
    been called to testify, they would have provided favorable testimony to his
    defense regarding victim’s cause of death. Such a bald assertion, without
    more, does not meet his burden. Moreover, and most notably, Appellant has
    failed to demonstrate that these alleged witnesses were willing and able to
    testify on his behalf at trial. This alone precludes Appellant from obtaining
    relief. See Commonwealth v. Khalil, 
    806 A.2d 415
    , 422-23 (Pa. Super.
    2002) (“This Court will not grant relief based on an allegation that a certain
    witness may have testified in the absence of an affidavit from that witness to
    show that the witness would, in fact, testify.”).
    Irrespective of the foregoing, even if Appellant pleaded sufficiently this
    claim, we would find it lacks arguable merit.
    - 12 -
    J-S41040-19
    The causal connection required to attach criminal
    responsibility for the death of a victim must be more direct than
    the tort law concept of proximate cause. In Commonwealth v.
    Nunn, our Court described the two-part test to determine
    criminal causation.
    First, the defendant’s conduct must be an
    antecedent, but for which the result in question
    would not have occurred. A victim’s death cannot be
    entirely attributable to other factors; rather, there
    must exist a causal connection between the conduct
    and the result of conduct; and causal connection
    requires something more than mere coincidence as
    to time and place. Second, the results of the
    defendant’s actions cannot be so extraordinarily
    remote or attenuated that it would be unfair to hold
    the defendant criminally responsible.
    As to the first part of the test, the defendant’s
    conduct need not be the only cause of the victim’s
    death in order to establish a causal connection.
    Criminal responsibility may be properly assessed
    against an individual whose conduct was a direct and
    substantial factor in producing the death even
    though other factors combined with that conduct to
    achieve the result. The second part of the test is
    satisfied when the victim’s death is the natural or
    foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s actions.
    Where the fatal result was an unnatural or obscure
    consequence of the defendant’s actions, justice
    would prevent us from allowing the result to have an
    impact upon a finding of the defendant’s guilt.
    
    947 A.2d 756
    , 760 (Pa. Super. 2008) (citations and quotation
    marks omitted)[.]
    Commonwealth v. Buterbaugh, 
    91 A.3d 1247
    , 1256-57 (Pa. Super. 2014)
    (some citations omitted).
    In this case, the evidence presented at trial, which this Court found
    sufficient to sustain Appellant’s conviction on direct appeal, established that
    - 13 -
    J-S41040-19
    Appellant twice shot the victim at close range.       Dr. Ross, an expert in
    forensic pathology, testified that the cause of death was a gunshot wound
    that hit the victim’s femoral artery, which Dr. Ross testified as being a vital
    part of the human body.        As such, any alleged “negligence” that the
    emergency room physicians would possibly have testified to would not have
    negated the fact that the victim’s arrival at the hospital for treatment was
    necessitated by the injuries inflicted upon her by Appellant. Moreover, it is
    clear that Appellant’s conduct was “a direct and substantial factor in
    producing the death[,]” regardless of any other alleged factors that may
    have contributed to her death, and the result of Appellant’s actions was not
    so “extraordinarily remote or attenuated” that it would be unfair to hold
    Appellant criminally liable under these circumstances. 
    Buterbaugh, supra
    .
    No relief is due.
    In his third issue, Appellant contends trial counsel were ineffective for
    failing to impeach two Commonwealth witnesses, Frazier and McDuffie.
    Appellant alleges both witnesses had ulterior motives to testify; Frazier
    because of a lawsuit she was involved in against the Sherman Hills
    Apartment Complex, where the shooting occurred, and McDuffie because she
    was previously in a relationship with the victim and had pending criminal
    charges at the time of Appellant’s trial. N.T., 8/14/2018, at 10-12.
    At the PCRA hearing, Attorney Pike testified that he and Attorney
    Taylor hired a private investigator to investigate the Commonwealth
    - 14 -
    J-S41040-19
    witnesses but were unsuccessful in obtaining any additional information
    other than what was provided by the Commonwealth during discovery. 
    Id. at 31-32.
      Thus, while they were aware of Appellant’s allegations about
    Frazier’s financial motives, they were unable to corroborate independently
    and verify this information. 
    Id. at 32-33.
    However, trial counsel testified
    that they did receive criminal records of “all witnesses and potential
    witnesses” during discovery, as well as independently searched both the
    magisterial district court and Court of Common Pleas dockets, and utilized
    these records during cross-examination. 
    Id. at 24-26,
    32. The PCRA court
    credited counsel’s testimony and found Appellant’s allegations to be without
    merit.   Memorandum, 9/24/2018, at 6-8 (unnumbered).              The record
    supports the PCRA court’s findings.
    Specifically, the transcript from Appellant’s trial reveals that Attorney
    Pike cross-examined McDuffie, who admitted that she had dated the victim
    and acknowledged that she had pending criminal charges. N.T., 8/19/2014,
    at 76-77, 102-107.     However, despite Attorney Pike’s inquiry, McDuffie
    denied that she expected to “gain favor with the Commonwealth” with
    respect to these charges in exchange for her testimony. 
    Id. at 107.
    In light
    of the foregoing, the record clearly belies Appellant’s claim that counsel did
    not use these alleged ulterior motives in an attempt to impeach McDuffie.
    With respect to Frazier, while she was cross-examined extensively at
    trial, counsel did not inquire about a lawsuit that Frazier was involved in
    - 15 -
    J-S41040-19
    against the apartment complex. However, not only did the PCRA court credit
    counsel’s testimony that such an allegation could not be independently
    corroborated, at the PCRA hearing, Appellant admitted that he too, did not
    have any “proof” regarding Frazier potentially “inheriting” money from a
    lawsuit against the apartment complex. See N.T., 8/14/2018, at 10. It is
    well-settled that “[c]ounsel cannot be faulted for failing to discover or
    present evidence if Appellant fails to meet the burden of establishing that
    the evidence exists.” Commonwealth v. Fisher, 
    813 A.2d 761
    , 771 (Pa.
    2002). For these reasons, Appellant is not entitled to relief.
    Lastly, Appellant claims that, due to the cumulative errors of trial
    counsel, Appellant was denied the right to a fair trial. Initially, we observe
    that
    [i]t is well-settled that no number of failed ineffectiveness claims
    may collectively warrant relief if they fail to do so individually.
    Accordingly, where ineffectiveness claims are rejected for lack of
    arguable merit, there is no basis for an accumulation claim.
    When the failure of individual claims is grounded in lack of
    prejudice, however, then the cumulative prejudice from those
    individual claims may properly be assessed.
    Commonwealth v. Smith, 
    181 A.3d 1168
    , 1187 (Pa. Super. 2018)
    (citations and quotation marks omitted).
    The PCRA court found that “[n]one of [Appellant’s] claims warrant[s]
    relief individually and they do not do so collectively.”          Memorandum,
    9/24/2018, at 8. As 
    discussed supra
    , we agree with the PCRA court’s
    findings, and reject all of Appellant’s ineffective assistance of counsel claims
    - 16 -
    J-S41040-19
    as meritless.    Thus, as noted by the PCRA court, there can be no
    aggregation of prejudice. See 
    Smith, 181 A.3d at 1187
    .
    We agree with counsel that based upon the PCRA court’s findings and
    the record, which supports them, the issues raised by Appellant have no
    merit. Therefore, the PCRA court did not err by dismissing Appellant’s PCRA
    petition.   Accordingly, we affirm the order of the PCRA court denying
    Appellant’s PCRA petition and grant counsel’s petition to withdraw.
    Order affirmed. Petition to withdraw granted.
    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 9/16/19
    - 17 -