SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA AFFIRMS ATTORNEY NOEL’S EARLIER PCRA WIN IN THIRD-DEGREE MURDER CASE

In December 2022, Attorney Noel obtained PCRA relief in the form of a new trial on behalf of her client, who had been convicted of third-degree murder. The PCRA Court found that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to request a voluntary manslaughter jury instruction pursuant to a theory of “imperfect” self-defense. As a result, the PCRA Court vacated Attorney Noel’s client’s murder conviction and granted him a new trial based on ineffective assistance of counsel.

Dissatisfied with that result, the Commonwealth exercised its right to appeal the PCRA court’s order to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Following robust briefing by Attorney Noel, in which she vehemently defended her earlier win, the Superior Court sided with Attorney Noel’s client, and affirmed the PCRA court’s order awarding him a new trial.