Com. v. Watson, Y.

J-S37027-20
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
YOLANDA M. WATSON :
:
Appellant : No. 2825 EDA 2019
Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered September 27, 2019
In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division at
No(s): CP-51-CR-0005833-2010
BEFORE: SHOGAN, J., NICHOLS, J., and FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.
MEMORANDUM BY NICHOLS, J.: FILED DECEMBER 8, 2020
Appellant Yolanda M. Watson appeals from the order dismissing her
first Post Collateral Relief Act1 (PCRA) petition. Appellant contends the PCRA
court erred by dismissing her petition without an evidentiary hearing
because a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether her trial
counsel was ineffective by failing to call character witnesses on her behalf.
We affirm.
We state the facts as set forth by this Court in resolving Appellant’s
direct appeal:
[Appellant] was present in courtroom 802 of the Criminal Justice
Center throughout the attempted murder trial of her former
fiancé, Rico Lofton (Lofton). Lofton’s first trial having ended with
a hung jury, he was being retried on charges that he opened fire
from a vehicle into a crowd of people gathered on the sidewalk,
____________________________________________
1 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546.
J-S37027-20
in the street, and on the porch of his target’s home. Lofton’s
bullets struck the intended target, as well as a two (2) year old
child, and narrowly missed the head of the child’s grandmother.
As a result of her fear of Lofton, the child’s grandmother
returned to Portugal and had to be flown back to Philadelphia to
testify against Lofton at his retrial. Throughout his retrial,
[Appellant] was seated behind Lofton’s table every day. As was
later developed, [Appellant], who has a prior felony conviction
for aggravated assault, repeatedly glared at the prosecutor,
Assistant District Attorney Lorraine Donnelly (Ms. Donnelly)
throughout the trial. On March 4, 2010, before the deliberating
jurors were dismissed for the day, and pursuant to a request by
the prosecutor, this court gave specific instructions to the jurors
that they were not to discuss the case with anyone.
After the jurors were dismissed, [Appellant] gathered with Lofton
and his family at 13th and Filbert Streets outside the Criminal
Justice Center. A juror in Lofton’s case, [C]omplainant Vladimir
Gulko, was walking down Filbert Street, and had just ended a
cell phone conversation when he was approached by [Appellant].
Complainant recognized [Appellant] as the woman who had just
been talking to Lofton and who had been present in the
courtroom the preceding days. [Appellant] approached
[C]omplainant, telling him she needed to talk to him about a few
things. Complainant told [Appellant] that he was a juror and
could not talk to her because of the judge’s instructions. Despite
being rebuffed by [C]omplainant, [Appellant] continued talking
to [C]omplainant as he proceeded down Filbert Street to the
Market East train station located approximately one (1) block
away. Complainant repeatedly told [Appellant] that he could not
and would not talk to her, but [Appellant] continued her
explanation of matters otherwise unknown to the jury.
During the one block walk, [Appellant] told [C]omplainant that
Lofton’s victim and his family were heavily involved in drug
dealing and gang-related activities in their neighborhood.
[Appellant] further stated that she wanted to testify in Lofton’s
trial but was prohibited from doing so by his attorney.
[Appellant] informed [C]omplainant that the prosecution of
Lofton had gone on over the past four (4) years, and she
attempted to have [C]omplainant read a document but he
refused. Complainant attempted to ignore [Appellant] by putting
in headphones, but she continued to talk to him about matters
regarding Lofton’s case. At some point during this one-sided
-2-
J-S37027-20
conversation [Appellant] mentioned the sum of $38,000 in an
attempt to influence [C]omplainant’s deliberations. Complainant
continued to ignore [Appellant], who followed him until he
entered the train station.
When [C]omplainant returned to the courthouse the next
morning to resume deliberations he immediately alerted
courtroom staff that he had been inappropriately contacted the
previous evening. This court then conducted a colloquy on the
record with [C]omplainant, in the presence of counsel but
outside the hearing of other jurors, and questioned him about
what happened, whether he shared this information with other
jurors and whether he could continue to deliberate without bias
toward either the Commonwealth or Lofton. Satisfied that he
had not shared the foregoing encounter with the other jurors,
and with his unequivocal ability to resume unbiased
deliberations, this court reintegrated [C]omplainant into the
deliberating jury. Following [C]omplainant’s disclosure, this
court made an on the record request for the name of every
person seated in the courtroom, and his or her relationship to
Lofton, including [Appellant]. Additionally, following the
foregoing disclosures, this court prohibited members of Lofton’s
family from the courtroom during times when the jury was
present, with the exception of the pronouncement of the verdict.
However, although permitted to return to the courtroom,
[Appellant] remained outside in the hallway. Thereafter, the
jury returned a partial verdict of guilty against Lofton and the
Commonwealth began its investigation into the specific
allegations against [Appellant].
Assistant District Attorney Donnelly approached [C]omplainant
after the jurors were discharged and requested an interview with
him at a later time. Simultaneously, [Appellant] was briefly
detained by sheriff’s deputies outside of the courtroom but was
quickly released because her contact information had already
been obtained by the court on the record. Approximately one
week later, on March 12, 2010, [C]omplainant was interviewed
by Detective Tollier of the Philadelphia Police Department in the
presence of Ms. Donnelly. Complainant explained that the
woman who approached him was with Lofton and present in the
courtroom during the trial. Accordingly, [C]omplainant was
shown pictures of [Appellant] and Lofton’s mother, the only two
(2) women present in the courtroom from Lofton’s family
throughout the trial. From those pictures, [C]omplainant
-3-
J-S37027-20
identified [Appellant] as the woman who approached him on the
street the week before.
Commonwealth v. Watson, 2013 WL 11299440, at *1-*2 (Pa. Super. filed
Jan. 8, 2013) (unpublished mem.) (citations omitted and formatting
altered), appeal denied, 78 A.3d 1091 (Pa. 2013).
The police arrested Appellant. Id. at *2. A jury convicted Appellant of
aggravated jury tampering, obstructing the administration of law, and
tampering with jurors. Id. The trial court sentenced Appellant to an
aggregate sentence of seven-and-one-half to fifteen years’ imprisonment.
Id. Appellant appealed, this Court affirmed on January 8, 2013, and our
Supreme Court denied Appellant’s petition for allowance of appeal on
October 29, 2013. Id. at *5; see Order, 10/29/13.
The PCRA court docketed Appellant’s first pro se PCRA petition on
October 24, 2014. The PCRA court docketed Appellant’s amended PCRA
petition on February 5, 2015. The subsequent procedural history is
extensive, but essentially, the PCRA court eventually appointed PCRA
counsel, who filed an amended PCRA petition on July 2, 2018. The amended
PCRA petition claimed that Appellant’s trial counsel was ineffective by failing
to ask Appellant “to obtain character witnesses as to [Appellant’s] reputation
for honesty and truthfulness.” Am. PCRA Pet., 7/2/18, at 4 (unpaginated).
The amended petition included a witness certification signed by PCRA
counsel, which identified Julie Dotson as a character witness who was
available and willing to testify at Appellant’s trial as to Appellant’s reputation
-4-
J-S37027-20
for honesty and truthfulness. Witness Cert. The witness certification also
listed Dotson’s address, which was in North Chesterfield, Virginia.2 Id.
The Commonwealth filed a motion to dismiss on December 21, 2018,
claiming that Appellant failed to fulfill her burden of proof by providing “an
affidavit from [Dotson] demonstrating that [she] existed and [was] ready,
willing, and able to testify on her behalf at trial. She also provides no proof
that she informed trial counsel of this alleged character witness.” Cmwlth.’s
Mot. to Dismiss, 12/21/18, at 6. The Commonwealth argued that because
Appellant’s claim was “unsupported by any relevant proof,” the PCRA court
should deny relief. Id. The Commonwealth also asserted that Appellant
failed “to meet the reasonable basis prong of the ineffectiveness test
because she has not produced either a certification or affidavit from trial
counsel discussing their trial strategy, [or] in the alternative, provided an
explanation as to why she was not able to obtain such a certification or
affidavit.” Id. at 7.
On April 25, 2019, Appellant filed a supplement to her amended PCRA
petition, which attached a signed affidavit from Dotson. Suppl. to Am. PCRA
Pet., 4/25/19. Dotson averred that she was available and willing to appear
at Appellant’s trial to testify as to Appellant’s “reputation for honesty and
____________________________________________
2 The certification did not aver that Dotson was aware of Appellant’s
reputation in the community.
-5-
J-S37027-20
truthfulness.” Id. The affidavit did not include any reference to
“community” or “community opinion.”
The Commonwealth filed a response, in which it quoted an exchange
between the trial court and Appellant. Cmwlth.’s Resp., 5/14/19, at 2-3.
Specifically, the trial court asked Appellant directly as to whether she wished
to call any other witnesses besides herself, and Appellant responded in the
negative. Id. at 3. The Commonwealth also argued that Dotson’s
certification was insufficient because it did not “explain how long she has
known [Appellant], in what community and context she knows [Appellant],
and whether she has ever spoken to others in the community about
[Appellant’s] reputation for truthfulness or honesty.” Id. at 5. The
Commonwealth further asserted that Appellant failed to establish prejudice
because Appellant’s own testimony corroborated the Commonwealth’s case
against her. Id. (summarizing Appellant’s inculpating testimony).
On May 24, 2019, the PCRA court dismissed the PCRA petition without
issuing a Pa.R.Crim.P. 907 notice. Order, 5/24/19. On June 5, 2019, the
PCRA court vacated its May 24, 2019 order and also issued a Rule 907 notice
stating that the issues raised in Appellant’s petition lack merit. Order,
6/5/19; Rule 907 Notice, 6/5/19. Appellant did not file a response. On July
10, 2019, the PCRA court dismissed Appellant’s PCRA petition.
On August 12, 2019, Appellant filed a petition to reinstate her
appellate rights nunc pro tunc, which the PCRA court granted on September
-6-
J-S37027-20
27, 2019. Appellant filed a timely notice of appeal on October 1, 2019. The
PCRA court did not order Appellant to comply with Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) and did
not prepare a Rule 1925(a) opinion.3
Appellant raises one issue:
Whether the PCRA court violated paragraph (1) of Rule 907 of
Pa.R.Crim.P. by summarily dismissing [A]ppellant’s PCRA
petition without [an] evidentiary hearing, where there was a
genuine issue of material fact as to whether [A]ppellant was
denied the effective assistance of counsel, when her counsel
failed to call [a] character witness on [A]ppellant’s behalf at
trial?
Appellant’s Brief at 4.
After stating the applicable law, Appellant summarily argues that “she
was denied the effective assistance of counsel as guaranteed under the
United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions, when counsel failed to direct
[her] to obtain character witnesses to testify as to her reputation for honesty
and truthfulness.” Id. at 11. Appellant asserts that not only did trial
counsel fail “to call any character witnesses, but he did not even discuss the
option with his client.” Id. at 13. In Appellant’s view, the Commonwealth’s
evidence was “far from overwhelming, [and so] the presentation of character
evidence would” have supported her case. Id. Appellant also contends that
trial counsel did not have any reasonable basis for failing to present
____________________________________________
3 The PCRA judge retired and did not prepare a Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion.
-7-
J-S37027-20
character witnesses on her behalf. Id. at 14. With respect to prejudice,
Appellant argues as follows:
There is a reasonable probability that had trial counsel presented
testimony of [A]ppellant’s honesty and truthfulness reputation,
the outcome of the proceedings would have been different. In
this case, the jury was precluded from hearing positive and
substantial character evidence which may have been sufficient to
raise a reasonable doubt and produce an acquittal.
Id. at 16-17.
We set forth the applicable standard of review in Commonwealth v.
Sandusky, 203 A.3d 1033, 1043-44 (Pa. Super. 2019):
Initially, we note that our standard of review from the denial of a
PCRA petition is limited to examining whether the PCRA court’s
determination is supported by the evidence of record and
whether it is free of legal error. 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.
Furthermore, to establish a claim of ineffective assistance of
counsel, a defendant must show, by a preponderance of the
evidence, ineffective assistance of counsel which, in the
circumstances of the particular case, so undermined the truth-
determining process that no reliable adjudication of guilt or
innocence could have taken place. The burden is on the
defendant to prove all three of the following prongs: (1) the
underlying claim is of arguable merit; (2) that counsel had no
reasonable strategic basis for his or her action or inaction; and
(3) but for the errors and omissions of counsel, there is a
reasonable probability that the outcome of the proceedings
would have been different.
We have explained that a claim has arguable merit where the
factual averments, if accurate, could establish cause for relief.
Whether the facts rise to the level of arguable merit is a legal
determination.
-8-
J-S37027-20
The test for deciding whether counsel had a reasonable basis for
his action or inaction is whether no competent counsel would
have chosen that action or inaction, or, the alternative, not
chosen, offered a significantly greater potential chance of
success. Counsel’s decisions will be considered reasonable if
they effectuated his client’s interests. We do not employ a
hindsight analysis in comparing trial counsel’s actions with other
efforts he may have taken.
Prejudice is established if there is a reasonable probability that,
but for counsel’s errors, the result of the proceeding would have
been different. A reasonable probability is a probability sufficient
to undermine confidence in the outcome.
Boilerplate allegations and bald assertions of no reasonable basis
and/or ensuing prejudice cannot satisfy a petitioner’s burden to
prove that counsel was ineffective. Moreover, a failure to satisfy
any prong of the ineffectiveness test requires rejection of the
claim of ineffectiveness.
Sandusky, 203 A.3d at 1043-44 (citations omitted and formatting altered).
“With respect to the PCRA court’s decision to deny a request for an
evidentiary hearing . . . such a decision is within the discretion of the PCRA
court and will not be overturned absent an abuse of discretion.”
Commonwealth v. Maddrey, 205 A.3d 323, 327 (Pa. Super. 2019).
Initially, we note that the “failure to call character witnesses does not
constitute per se ineffectiveness.” Commonwealth v. Treiber, 121 A.3d
435, 463 (Pa. 2015) (citation omitted). An appellant must show that
(1) the witness existed; (2) the witness was available to testify
for the defense; (3) counsel knew of, or should have known of,
the existence of the witness; (4) the witness was willing to
testify for the defense; and (5) the absence of the testimony of
the witness was so prejudicial as to have denied the defendant a
fair trial.
Id. at 464 (citation omitted).
-9-
J-S37027-20
Pennsylvania Rule of Evidence 404(a) addresses the use of such
character evidence:
(a) Character Evidence.
(1) Prohibited Uses. Evidence of a person’s character or
character trait is not admissible to prove that on a particular
occasion the person acted in accordance with the character or
trait.
(2) Exceptions for a Defendant or Victim in a Criminal Case. The
following exceptions apply in a criminal case:
(A) a defendant may offer evidence of the defendant’s
pertinent trait, and if the evidence is admitted, the prosecutor
may offer evidence to rebut it . . . .
Pa.R.E. 404(a)(1)-(2)(A).4 Relatedly, Rule of Evidence 405(a) addresses
methods of proving character:
____________________________________________
4 In Commonwealth v. Johnson, 27 A.3d 244 (Pa. Super. 2011), the
Court explained the reasoning for Rule 404(a):
It has long been the law in Pennsylvania that an individual on
trial for an offense against the criminal law is permitted to
introduce evidence of his good reputation in any respect which
has “proper relation to the subject matter” of the charge at
issue. Such evidence has been allowed on a theory that general
reputation reflects the character of the individual and a
defendant in a criminal case is permitted to prove his good
character in order to negate his participation in the offense
charged. The rationale for the admission of character testimony
is that an accused may not be able to produce any other
evidence to exculpate himself from the charge he faces except
his own oath and evidence of good character.
It is clearly established that evidence of good character is to be
regarded as evidence of substantive fact just as any other
evidence tending to establish innocence and may be considered
(Footnote Continued Next Page)
- 10 -
J-S37027-20
(a) By Reputation. When evidence of a person’s character or
character trait is admissible, it may be proved by testimony
about the person’s reputation. Testimony about the witness’s
opinion as to the character or character trait of the person is not
admissible.
Pa.R.E. 405(a).
Recently, this Court reinforced that character evidence must be
established with testimony on the community opinion of the defendant:
[e]vidence of good character offered by a defendant in a criminal
prosecution must be limited to his general reputation for the
particular trait or traits of character involved in the commission
of the crime charged. Such evidence must relate to a period at
or about the time the offense was committed . . . and must be
established by testimony of witnesses as to the community
opinion of the individual in question, not through specific acts or
mere rumor.
(Footnote Continued) _______________________
by the jury in connection with all of the evidence presented in
the case on the general issue of guilt or innocence. Evidence of
good character is substantive and positive evidence, not a mere
make weight to be considered in a doubtful case, and, . . . is an
independent factor which may of itself engender reasonable
doubt or produce a conclusion of innocence. Evidence of good
character offered by a defendant in a criminal prosecution
must be limited to his general reputation for the particular
trait or traits of character involved in the commission of
the crime charged. The cross-examination of such witnesses
by the Commonwealth must be limited to the same traits. Such
evidence must relate to a period at or about the time the offense
was committed, and must be established by testimony of
witnesses as to the community opinion of the individual in
question, not through specific acts or mere rumor.
Johnson, 27 A.3d at 248 (citation omitted and emphases in original).
- 11 -
J-S37027-20
Commonwealth v. Radecki, 180 A.3d 441, 453-54 (Pa. Super. 2018)
(citation omitted and emphasis added); see also Pa.R.E. 404(a)(2).
For example, in Commonwealth v. Medina, 209 A.3d 992 (Pa.
Super. 2019), the defendant contended the PCRA court erred by denying
him an evidentiary hearing. Medina, 209 A.3d at 997. The defendant
further claimed his trial counsel was ineffective by not notifying him of his
right to call character witnesses who could testify as to his non-violent
reputation. Id. In support of his contention, the defendant’s PCRA petition
attached affidavits from four alleged character witnesses, only one of which
was located in Philadelphia.5 Id. at 995, 997.
The Medina Court explained that only the Philadelphia affiant could
testify as to the defendant’s reputation in the community but that person
would not have been able to testify because the affidavit failed to list the
character trait the witness would be testifying about. Id. at 997-98.
Regardless, the Medina Court reasoned, even if the witnesses at issue could
have testified about the defendant’s non-violent reputation in the
community, the defendant failed to establish prejudice given the facts of the
case. Id. at 999. For those reasons, among others, the Medina Court
____________________________________________
5The other three lived in New York City, Maryland, and Florida. Medina,
209 A.3d at 995.
- 12 -
J-S37027-20
affirmed the PCRA court’s denial of relief on the defendant’s claim that his
trial counsel was ineffective. Id. at 999-1000.
Instantly, as noted above, Appellant included an affidavit from Dotson,
who lives in Virginia, and not in Appellant’s Philadelphia community. See
Suppl. to Am. PCRA Pet. Dotson, unlike the Philadelphia witness in Medina,
averred she could testify as to Appellant’s reputation for honesty and
truthfulness. Cf. id. at 997-98. But Dotson, like the three out-of-state
character witnesses in Medina, lives in Virginia and did not aver to any
knowledge of Appellant’s reputation in her community. See generally
Johnson, 27 A.3d at 248. Cf. Medina, 209 A.3d at 999. Identical to the
Medina Court’s reasoning with respect to out-of-state witnesses, we agree
with the Commonwealth6 that Appellant failed to establish that Dotson could
present admissible testimony on her community reputation. See Medina,
209 A.3d at 998.
Regardless, even assuming Appellant established her claim had
arguable merit, Appellant’s prejudice argument spans two sentences, and
such a “boilerplate allegation[] and bald assertion[] of no reasonable basis
and/or ensuing prejudice cannot satisfy a petitioner’s burden to prove that
counsel was ineffective.” See Sandusky, 203 A.3d at 1043-44; see also
Treiber, 121 A.3d at 464. Because Appellant is not entitled to relief, she is
____________________________________________
6 As noted above, the PCRA judge retired and did not prepare an opinion.
- 13 -
J-S37027-20
also not entitled to an evidentiary hearing. See Medina, 209 A.3d at 999-
1000; see also Maddrey, 205 A.3d at 327. For these reasons, we affirm
the order below. See Sandusky, 203 A.3d at 1043-44.
Order affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 12/08/2020
- 14 -