Com. v. Clemens, D.

J-S71023-18
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
DERRICK O. CLEMENS :
:
Appellant : No. 1576 EDA 2018
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence April 17, 2018
In the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County Criminal Division at
No(s): CP-23-CR-0007360-2017
BEFORE: PANELLA, J., DUBOW, J., and NICHOLS, J.
MEMORANDUM BY DUBOW, J.: FILED DECEMBER 24, 2018
Appellant, Derrick O. Clemens, appeals from the April, 17 2018
Judgment of Sentence that followed the entry of his negotiated plea of nolo
contendere to Driving Under the Influence (“DUI”) and Driving While
Operating Privilege is Suspended for a DUI-related offense (“DWS”).1
Appellant’s counsel has filed an Anders Brief, together with an Application to
Withdraw as Counsel.2 After careful review, we affirm Appellant’s Judgment
of Sentence and grant counsel’s Application to Withdraw.
On April 17, 2018, Appellant entered a negotiated plea of nolo
contendere to DUI and DWS. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the
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1 75 Pa.C.S. §§ 3802(d)(3) and 1543(b)(1), respectively.
2 See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).
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Commonwealth recommended, and the trial court imposed, a sentence of 72
hours’ to 6 months’ incarceration for the DUI, followed by a consecutive term
of 60 days’ incarceration for the DWS.3 Appellant did not file a post-sentence
motion.
Appellant timely appealed. Appellant’s counsel filed a Pa.R.A.P.
1925(c)(4) Statement in lieu of a Rule 1925(b) Statement. On June 19, 2017,
counsel filed the Anders Brief and Application to Withdraw as Counsel.
Appellant did not file a pro se or counseled response to either the Brief or the
Application.
In his Anders Brief, counsel raises a sole issue:
Whether the aggregate sentence of 72 hours[’] to 6
months[’] incarceration followed by 60 days of
imprisonment and monitoring imposed on [Appellant] is
harsh and excessive under the circumstances?
Anders Brief at 2.
Before this Court may consider the merits of the issue raised, we must
address counsel’s Application to Withdraw. See Commonwealth v. Daniels,
999 A.2d 590, 593 (Pa. Super. 2010) (“When presented with an Anders brief,
this Court may not review the merits of the underlying issues without first
passing on the request to withdraw.”). In order for counsel to withdraw from
an appeal pursuant to Anders, our Supreme Court has determined that
counsel must meet certain requirements, including:
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3 The trial court ordered Appellant to serve the 60-day incarceration term in
ten periods of 48 hours followed by 40 days of electronic home monitoring.
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(1) provide a summary of the procedural history and facts, with
citations to the record;
(2) refer to anything in the record that counsel believes arguably
supports the appeal;
(3) set forth counsel's conclusion that the appeal is frivolous; and
(4) state counsel's reasons for concluding that the appeal is
frivolous. Counsel should articulate the relevant facts of record,
controlling case law, and/or statutes on point that have led to the
conclusion that the appeal is frivolous.
Commonwealth v. Santiago, 978 A.2d 349, 361 (Pa. 2009).
In the instant case, counsel has complied with all of the requirements
of Anders as articulated in Santiago. Additionally, counsel confirms that he
sent Appellant a copy of the Anders Brief, as well as a letter explaining to
Appellant that he has the right to proceed pro se or retain new counsel. See
Commonwealth v. Millisock, 873 A.2d 748, 751 (Pa. Super. 2005)
(describing notice requirements). Counsel appended a copy of the letter to
his Petition to Withdraw.
Because counsel has satisfied the above requirements, it is now this
Court’s duty to conduct an independent review of the record to discern if there
are any additional, non-frivolous issues overlooked by counsel and render an
independent judgment as to whether the appeal is, in fact, wholly frivolous.
See Commonwealth v. Yorgey, 188 A.3d 1190, 1197 (Pa. Super. 2018) (en
banc) (noting that Anders requires the reviewing court to “review ‘the case’
as presented in the entire record with consideration first of issues raised by
counsel.”).
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The issue presented in the Anders Brief challenges the discretionary
aspects of Appellant’s sentence. However, it is well-settled that upon entry of
a negotiated plea, “a defendant generally waives all defects and defenses
except those concerning the validity of the plea, the jurisdiction of the trial
court, and the legality of the sentence imposed.” Commonwealth v. Boyd,
835 A.2d 812, 816 (Pa. Super. 2003) (citation and quotation omitted).4 “One
who pleads guilty and receives a negotiated sentence may not then seek
discretionary review of that sentence.” Commonwealth v. O’Malley, 957
A.2d 1265, 1267 (Pa. Super. 2008) (citation omitted).
The only issue raised by counsel in this case challenges the discretionary
aspects of Appellant’s sentence, a claim that Appellant waived when he
entered a negotiated guilty plea. Accordingly, we agree with counsel and
conclude that the issue raised in the Anders Brief is wholly frivolous.5
Furthermore, our independent review of the record, conducted in
accordance with Yorgey, supra, confirms counsel’s assertion that there are
no issues of merit to be considered by this Court and this appeal is, thus,
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4“In terms of its effect upon a case, a plea of nolo contendere is treated the
same as a guilty plea.” Commonwealth v. Lewis, 791 A.2d 1227, 1230 (Pa.
Super. 2002) (citations and quotation omitted).
5Moreover, even if Appellant could challenge the discretionary aspects of his
sentence, such a challenge is waived unless an appellant raises it in a post-
sentence motion or by presenting the claim to the trial court during the
sentencing proceedings. See Commonwealth v. Shugars, 895 A.2d 1270,
1273-74 (Pa. Super. 2006). Appellant failed to do either.
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wholly frivolous. Thus, we grant counsel’s Application to Withdraw and affirm
Appellant’s Judgment of Sentence.
Judgment of Sentence affirmed. Application to Withdraw granted.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 12/24/18
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