Opinion ID: 2162360
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Devinder Goyal's testimony.

Text: The defendant, Devinder Goyal, testified that he was born in India, but that he is now a United States citizen and a certified public accountant. He stated that Irene DaSilva had worked for him for four to five weeks, but that she had quit. According to Goyal, Mrs. DaSilva simply failed to show up for work one day. Goyal denied having had any romantic relationship with Mrs. DaSilva. According to Goyal, DaSilva frequently approached him pitifully to inquire about Irene. On one occasion, DaSilva called the office and spoke to a temporary employee named Janet, whom Goyal had hired for a few days to answer telephone calls which were forwarded to her phone. According to Goyal, DaSilva apparently mistook Janet's voice for his missing wife's. Goyal testified that, from memory, he gave DaSilva Janet's telephone number. He believed that Janet's telephone had been disconnected, so that nobody would be harmed by the disclosure of the number. Goyal denied that DaSilva had told him that he (DaSilva) had beaten Irene DaSilva. Goyal also claimed that he informed Homan that he had not given DaSilva Homan's telephone number. Responding to Detective Rivera's testimony, Goyal denied that he had told the detective that DaSilva had threatened Goyal. Rather, he explained to the detective that Homan had spoken to Goyal's secretary and had told her that DaSilva had threatened to kill Homan. Goyal stated that on one occasion, DaSilva, who was under the influence of alcohol at the time, seized him by the collar. Goyal reported this assault to the police on the following day. Goyal testified, however, that this incident occurred in March, 1993, well after the events involving Homan. He asserted that prior to March, 1993, he did not regard DaSilva as a threat. At no time during the course of his testimony did Goyal deny that he had given DaSilva Homan's address, or that he had looked it up in a directory.