For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - 48

Jules Epstein

A Criminal Defense
Attorney's Duty on P.C.R.A.:

Don't Talk to the D.A.
T
he recent July 12, 2017 Superior Court decision of Commonwealth v. King (2017 PA
Super. 220) upheld a P.C.R.A court's order
directing that trial counsel not participate in an
ex parte interview with the prosecution prior to
the actual P.C.R.A. evidentiary hearing. PACDL
filed an amicus brief in this case in support of
the defendant, who was represented by Attorney
Daniel Silverman. The question as to whether the
trial attorney is to be available for questioning
by the prosecution before the P.C.R.A. hearing is
a recurring issue. The Superior Court opinion in
King is a narrow one, but one built upon broad
principles. As such, criminal defense attorneys
alleged to have been ineffective should read
King and adopt the practice of never discussing
a former client's case with the prosecution until
on the stand at an evidentiary hearing. From the
beginning of every case, P.C.R.A. counsel must do
what they can to ensure that trial counsel maintains client confidentiality.

48

For The Defense | Vol. 2, Issue 3

The Narrow Case-Specific Facts

In the case of Commonwealth v. King, the original
trial counsel refused, repeatedly, to meet with trial counsel. Worse, the prosecution believed that
it had the right to interview trial counsel without
P.C.R.A. counsel being present. The Pennsylvania
Supreme Court found,
a preclusion order was necessary. A private interview between prosecutors
and trial counsel could easily become
a freewheeling inquiry into privileged
matters that fall outside the scope of
the ineffectiveness claims raised by
Appellee. As in Harris, the only way to
guard against this hazard is to order
the Commonwealth to refrain from
interviewing trial counsel in advance
of the PCRA evidentiary hearing.
Commonwealth v. King, 2017 PA Super 220.



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017

Table of Contents
For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - 1
For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - 2
For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - Table of Contents
For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - 4
For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - 5
For the Defense - Volume 2, Issue 3 - 2017 - 6
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