Commonwealth v. Tigue

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

JUSTICE NOBLE

This case raises primarily two issues. First, does a defendant’s pro se request to withdraw his guilty plea constitute a critical stage of the proceedings at which the right to counsel attaches, and, if so, is that right violated when trial counsel refuses to assist in the request or to seek alternative counsel? Second, does trial counsel’s complete failure to investigate an alleged alternative perpetrator constitute reversible ineffective assistance of counsel? The Court of Appeals agreed under the first issue that such a request is a critical stage and…