Com. v. Senestant, J. ( 2020 )

J-S52032-20
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
JOEL SENESTANT :
:
Appellant : No. 3387 EDA 2019
Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered October 24, 2019
In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division at
No(s): CP-51-CR-0015924-2013
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
JOEL SENESTANT :
:
Appellant : No. 3388 EDA 2019
Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered October 24, 2019
In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division at
No(s): CP-51-CR-0015925-2013
BEFORE: PANELLA, P.J., McCAFFERY, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E.*
MEMORANDUM BY STEVENS, P.J.E.: FILED DECEMBER 21, 2020
Appellant Joel Senestant appeals from the order of the Court of Common
Pleas of Philadelphia County denying his petition pursuant to the Post-
Conviction Relief Act (PCRA).1 Appellant claims his trial counsel was
ineffective in failing to convey a plea offer from the prosecution. We affirm.
____________________________________________
* Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
1 42 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 9541-9546.
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The PCRA court summarized the relevant procedural history as follows:
The underlying cases stem from the November 23, 2013
arrest of Appellant for shooting Vernon Oliver in front of the
victim’s residence located within the 800 block of North 66th Street
in Philadelphia on October 24, 2013 and for repeatedly thereafter
threatening the same shooting victim. Following initial
arraignment, preliminary hearing, filing of Bills of Information,
several conferences and assorted hearings, both cases were
transferred for [a] consolidated jury trial the morning of January
20, 2015 before this Court as available presiding jurist. The
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was represented by the District
Attorney of Philadelphia, by and through his Assistant Morgan
Vedejs. Pierre LaToure, Esquire represented Appellant during pre-
trial, jury trial, sentencing and initial appellate phases.
On January 20, 2015, immediately upon transfer [to] this
courtroom, before the first of what would be two (2) voir dire and
jury selection processes had begun, this Court had conducted a
full colloquy of Appellant to ensure that Appellant’s previously
announced decision to proceed by way of jury trial had been
informed and voluntary. Within this transcribed colloquy,
Appellant actively acknowledged his full understanding of all
options, rights, responsibilities and potential consequences of his
never wavering decision to proceed to a jury trial.
During this first colloquy conducted on January 20, 2015,
the assigned prosecutor declared on the record, her extension of
an offer that she had just conveyed to Appellant’s counsel to
alternatively resolve the instant cases by way of entry of
negotiated guilty pleas. That offer as stated in front of Appellant
who was seated next to this counsel and a few feet from the
prosecutor, was for an aggregate sentence of a minimum period
of seven and one-half years to fifteen years in exchange for
commensurate pleas of guilt to indicted offenses which at that
time included first degree felony Attempted Murder. Since
Appellant’s attorney had not yet had the opportunity to convey
this offer, this Court invited Appellant and his counsel to engage
in further private discussions and to inform this Court of any
change of mindset after the voir dire process was conducted since
the prospective panel members had been transported upstairs and
[were] collecting in the hallway. Jury selection proceeded
thereafter.
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On January 21, 2015, [the] jury selection process was
continued and interrupted by the defense’s complaint regarding
the selection process. This Court granted the defense motion and
struck the first selected panel. On January 22, 2015, just before
the renewed jury selection process was to begin, counsel for
Appellant acknowledged his continued discussions with his client
and stated that his client had requested recusal of this Court as
presiding jurist. This request was denied. This Court then
additionally inquired whether there had been any change of status
of the previous offer or its terms. No change of position had been
announced when all parties and their counsel were present. A
new jury panel was selected on January 22, 2015. On January
23, 2015, Appellant was arraigned in front of the jury and again
identified his right and desire to proceed to trial before that
empaneled jury. Trial testimony began following preliminary
instructions and opening arguments. The case proceeded without
further delay or interruption until January 28, 2015, when the
guilty verdicts were entered by the jury.
PCRA Court Opinion (P.C.O.), 5/13/20, at 1-3.
The jury convicted Appellant of aggravated assault, intimidation of a
witness, retaliation against a witness, carrying a firearm without a license, and
possession of an instrument of crime, but acquitted Appellant of attempted
murder. In a bifurcated portion of the trial, the trial court convicted Appellant
of persons not to possess a firearm.
On March 27, 2015, the trial court sentenced Appellant to an aggregate
term of 25½ to 54 years’ imprisonment. On September 1, 2017, this Court
affirmed the judgments of sentence. Appellant did not seek discretionary
review in the Supreme Court.
On March 30, 2018, Appellant filed a timely pro se PCRA petition. The
PCRA court appointed Appellant counsel, who filed a “no-merit” letter and
motion to withdraw as counsel pursuant to Commonwealth v. Finley, 550
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A.2d 213 (Pa.Super. 1988). On March 14, 2019, the PCRA court filed notice
of its intent to dismiss Appellant’s petition without a hearing pursuant to
Pa.R.Crim.P. 907. Appellant filed a response to the Rule 907 notice.
On September 5, 2019, counsel moved to withdraw his petition to
withdraw as counsel and filed an amended petition, alleging that trial counsel
failed to convey a plea offer of 7½ to 15 years’ incarceration, which Appellant
now claims he would have accepted. On October 24, 2019, the PCRA court
held a hearing at which both Appellant and trial counsel testified. After the
hearing, the PCRA court denied Appellant’s petition. Appellant filed timely
notices of appeal.
Appellant raises one claim on appeal: “[w]as the PCRA court’s finding
that the offer had been properly conveyed and rejected supported by the
record?” Appellant’s Brief, at 3. Our standard of review is well-established:
[o]ur review of the grant or denial of PCRA relief is limited to
examining whether the PCRA court's findings of fact are supported
by the record, and whether its conclusions of law are free from
legal error. Commonwealth v. Cox, 636 Pa. 603, 146 A.3d 221,
226 n.9 (2016). The PCRA court's credibility determinations, when
supported by the record, are binding on this Court; however, we
apply a de novo standard of review to the PCRA court's legal
conclusions. Commonwealth v. Burton, 638 Pa. 687, 158 A.3d
618, 627 n.13 (2017).
Commonwealth v. Small, 647 Pa. 423, 440–41, 189 A.3d 961, 971 (2018).
We review claims of ineffectiveness in light of the following principles:
[a]s originally established by the United States Supreme
Court in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, [104
S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674] (1984), and adopted by
Pennsylvania appellate courts, counsel is presumed to have
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provided effective representation unless a PCRA petitioner
pleads and proves all of the following: (1) the underlying
legal claim is of arguable merit; (2) counsel's action or
inaction lacked any objectively reasonable basis designed to
effectuate his client's interest; and (3) prejudice, to the
effect that there was a reasonable probability of a different
outcome at trial if not for counsel's error.
Commonwealth v. Wantz, 84 A.3d 324, 331 (Pa.Super. 2014)
(citations omitted). “A failure to satisfy any prong of the
ineffectiveness test requires rejection of the claim of
ineffectiveness.” Commonwealth v. Daniels, 600 Pa. 1, 963
A.2d 409, 419 (2009).
Commonwealth v. Selenski, 228 A.3d 8, 15 (Pa.Super. 2020).
Appellant specifically claims that his trial counsel was ineffective in
failing to communicate and discuss a plea bargain from the Commonwealth.
Our courts have held that:
[g]enerally, counsel has a duty to communicate plea bargains to
his client, as well as to explain the advantages and disadvantages
of the offer. Commonwealth v. Boyd, 547 Pa. 111, 688 A.2d
1172, 1174 (1997). Failure to do so may be considered
ineffectiveness of counsel if the defendant is sentenced to a longer
prison term than the term he would have accepted under the plea
bargain. See, Commonwealth v. Korb, 421 Pa. Super. 44, 617
A.2d 715, 716 (1992). Where the PCRA court's determination of
credibility is supported by the record, we will not disturb it on
appeal. Commonwealth v. Harmon, 738 A.2d 1023, 1025
(Pa.Super. 1999), appeal denied, 562 Pa. 666, 753 A.2d 815
(2000).
Commonwealth v. Marinez, 777 A.2d 1121, 1124 (Pa.Super. 2001).
While Appellant contends that his trial counsel did not communicate and
discuss the prosecution’s plea offer of 7½ -15 years’ imprisonment, this claim
is refuted by the record and Appellant’s own contradictory testimony at the
PCRA hearing.
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The record shows Appellant was specifically informed of the plea offer
in an oral colloquy in which the trial court sought to determine whether
Appellant’s decision to proceed to a jury trial was voluntary, knowing, and
intelligent. As trial counsel had discussed the offer with the prosecutor for the
first time that morning, trial counsel admitted that he had not yet had the
opportunity to directly convey the offer to Appellant.
The following exchange occurred in which the trial court delineated the
plea agreement on the record and gave Appellant time to consider his options
carefully in deciding to either accept this plea offer or to proceed to a bench
or jury trial:
[Trial Court:] Okay. Now, it’s my understanding, sir, that you
wish to have a jury trial?
[Appellant:] Yes.
[Trial Court:] Were any offers made to you by the Commonwealth
in reference to this case?
[Appellant:] No.
[Trial Court:] No. All right.
[Prosecutor:] I mean, that is correct, but his counsel and I did
speak.
[Trial Court:] Is there an offer on the table?
[Prosecutor:] Seven and a half.
[Trial Court:] Seven and a half to 15?
[Prosecutor:] Yes.
[Trial Court:] Was any offer in the nature of seven and a half to
15 years offered to you?
[Appellant:] No.
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[Trial Counsel:] We’ve only had a brief discussion this morning. I
never had – there’s been no offer that I had conveyed directly to
my client.
[Trial Court:] Okay. Well, I’ll certainly give you time to mull things
over and make decisions. But I just want you to understand, sir,
that there are a couple of options at this point in time. Because
it’s my understanding that you wish to have a jury trial, we have
prospective jurors waiting, actually waiting … [The Court then
explained the processes and notable differences between bench
and jury trials.] Do you understand the difference, sir?
[Appellant:] Yes.
[Trial Court:] All right. The other option is, in terms of a
negotiated disposition of a guilty plea, that is something of
responsibility, negotiated or open. Certainly, sir, this is your life.
It’s your decision to make. And I’m not going to tell you what you
should do. I just want you to be sure that you’re firmly aware of
the possibility and consequences that may occur. At this point in
time, sir, are you satisfied that your counsel has represented you
well?
[Appellant:] Yes.
[Trial Court:] Are you satisfied with his preparation of your case
for trial?
[Appellant:] Yes.
[Trial Court:] Okay. And have you conferred with him regarding
the possibilities as to which direction you wish to go?
[Appellant:] Yes.
[Trial Court:] [The Court then explained the offenses and the
possible sentences for each offense if convicted, the referenced
guidelines and possible outcomes] … So I want you to think long
and hard …
T.C.O. at 16-17 (quoting Notes of Testimony (N.T.), 1/20/15, at 5-10).
After jury selection proceeded over the following two days, Appellant
demonstrated that he had further conferences with his trial counsel. On
January 22, 2015, trial counsel admitted that after engaging in further
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discussion with his client, Appellant requested that the trial court recuse
herself from the case. N.T., 1/22/15, at 3. After the trial court denied the
recusal request, the trial court inquired about Appellant’s consideration of the
plea offer:
[Trial Court:] Was there any discussion by and between counsel
and [Appellant] – I think we touched upon some discussion, in
terms of offers. Has there been any change of offers?
[Prosecutor:] I don’t believe so.
[Trial Court:] No. Okay.
Id. at 5.
When specifically asked whether Appellant had discussed the plea offer
with counsel, neither defense counsel nor Appellant responded to this inquiry
and did not express any indication that Appellant wished to accept the plea
agreement instead of proceeding to a jury trial. It was only after Appellant
was convicted of the aforementioned offenses, was sentenced to a lengthy
term of imprisonment, and litigated a direct appeal that Appellant claimed for
the first time in his amended PCRA petition that trial counsel had never
communicated the plea offer to him.
Yet at the PCRA evidentiary hearing, Appellant offered testimony that
contradicted the claims made in his petition. When Appellant was confronted
with the aforementioned portion of the transcribed record in which the trial
court set forth the prosecution’s plea offer on the record and expressly gave
Appellant time to confer with trial counsel, Appellant altered his testimony to
claim that he actually had discussed the plea offer with trial counsel, but
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counsel told him not to take the plea offer. Appellant testified that trial counsel
had stated that “[w]e’re going to win. We don’t need this deal.” N.T.
10/24/19, at 25.
Moreover, Appellant’s trial counsel, Pierre Latour, III, Esq. testified at
the PCRA hearing and initially stated that he did not have a specific recollection
of the particular offer of 7½ to 15 years’ incarceration with Appellant but he
emphasized that he would always convey offers to his clients. Atty. Latour
did remember discussing a possible plea with Appellant but recalled that
Appellant “was not interested in a plea, specifically, one that was a lengthy
State sentence.” Id. at 30.
Based on this testimony, the PCRA court found Atty. Latour to be a
credible witness and found that Appellant was not credible. We will not disturb
the PCRA court’s credibility determinations, which are supported by the
record. Small, supra, Marinez, supra. As we agree with the PCRA court’s
assessment that Appellant’s ineffectiveness claim has no arguable merit, we
concluded that the PCRA court properly dismissed Appellant’s PCRA petition.
Order affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 12/21/20
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