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Commonwealth v. Meekins

Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Apr 15, 1968
240 A.2d 843 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1968)

Opinion

Submitted March 18, 1968.

April 15, 1968

Indictments charging rape and corrupting the morals of a minor. Appeal, No. 26, Oct. T., 1968, by defendant, nunc pro tunc, from judgment of sentence of Court of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia County, Oct. T., 1962, Nos. 360 and 362, opinion by McCLANAGHAN, J. Submitted March 18, 1968.

John Meekins, appellant, in propria persona; Michael J. Rotko, Assistant District Attorney, Richard A. Sprague, First Assistant District Attorney, and Arlen Specter, District Attorney, for Commonwealth, appellee.


Under Douglas v. California, 372 U.S. 353 (1963), and Commonwealth v. Sliva, 415 Pa. 537, 204 A.2d 455 (1964), an indigent is entitled to the assistance of counsel on appeal. We are unable to determine whether appellant is still indigent (he was represented by court-appointed counsel at trial) or whether his pro se appeal represents an intelligent and knowing waiver of the assistance of appellate counsel.

The record is remanded to the court below with instructions to determine whether appellant remains indigent or has waived the assistance of appellate counsel. If the court below finds that appellant is indigent and has not waived his right to counsel, it shall appoint appellate counsel. If the court finds that appellant is not indigent or has waived assistance of counsel on appeal, it shall then permit appellant to prosecute his pro se appeal.


Summaries of

Commonwealth v. Meekins

Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Apr 15, 1968
240 A.2d 843 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1968)
Case details for

Commonwealth v. Meekins

Case Details

Full title:Commonwealth v. Meekins, Appellant

Court:Superior Court of Pennsylvania

Date published: Apr 15, 1968

Citations

240 A.2d 843 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1968)
240 A.2d 843