John Henry Dooley, Jr. P-3111 v. George Petsock. Appeal of John Henry Dooley, Jr.

OPINION OF THE COURT

GARTH, Circuit Judge:

On this appeal we review the district court’s summary dismissal of a habeas corpus petition. The petition essentially raises a two-part ineffective assistance of counsel claim against the petitioner’s original trial counsel. We affirm.

I

In 1974, John Henry Dooley faced an arson charge in the Court of Common Pleas of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Douglas Ferguson, an assistant public defender, was appointed to serve as Dooley’s legal counsel. In a preliminary hearing held in July of 1974, Paul Shafer, the district attorney, attempted to show that Dooley…