Commonwealth v. DeSantis, 335 A.2d 761

Opinion

Per Curiam,

This is an appeal from the dismissal of appellant’s petition under the ‍​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍Post Conviction Hearing Act (PCHA).1 The only issue raised concerns the validity of *68the search warrant under which evidence used against appellant was seized. This issue was raised ‍​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍in post-trial motions, and was decided against appellant. There was no direct appeal from the judgment of sentence, although appellant concedes that he was advised not ‍​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍only of his right to appeal, but that he should appeal. This informed failure to appeal an issue decided below renders the claim raised here “finally ‍​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍litigated,” PCHA § 4 (a) (1), 19 P.S. § 1180-4 (a) (1), and appellant is not eligible for relief under the Act. PCHA § 3(d), 19 P.S. § 1180-8 (d).

Order affirmed.

Notes

. Act ‍​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍of Jan. 25, 1966, P.L. (1965) 1580, §§ 1 et seq., 19 P.S. §§ 1180-1 et seq. (Supp. 1974-75).

Case Details

Case Name: Commonwealth v. DeSantis

Court Name: Superior Court of Pennsylvania

Date Published: Mar 31, 1975

Citations: 335 A.2d 761; 234 Pa. Super. 67; 1975 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1500; Appeal, No. 535

Docket Number: Appeal, No. 535

Court Abbreviation: Pa. Super. Ct.