Commonwealth v. Taylor

HOFFMAN, Judge:

This is an appeal from the lower court’s order denying appellant’s petition for relief under the Post Conviction Hearing Act (PCHA), 42 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 9541-51. Appellant contends that (1) the lower court erred in dismissing his petition under the doctrines of waiver and laches; (2) use of a waiver or laches doctrine to bar consideration of his PCHA claims would unconstitutionally limit his right to redress by habeas corpus; and (3) his trial counsel was ineffective in failing (a) to request an “imperfect self-defense” voluntary manslaughter jury instruction, and to object to the…