The Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that plea counsel was not ineffective. The petitioner, a citizen of India, pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute. Two weeks later, the U.S. government initiated deportation proceedings. The petitioner filed a PCRA petition and alleged that plea counsel was ineffective for not requesting a translator and advising that “deportation is not a real risk in this case.” The PCRA court dismissed the petition after an evidentiary hearing. The Superior Court affirmed. At the outset, the Court noted that “in the heading of the petitioner’s argument, he states the PCRA court erred in dismissing his petition. However, the petitioner never discusses how the PCRA court erred.” (Appellate counsel should have hired the ghostwriting pros at S | S.) The Court then determined that the evidence from the plea hearing, including the guilty plea’s written and verbal colloquies, contradicted the petitioner’s claim regarding his lack of English skills.
