Opinion ID: 6341114
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Detective Keith

Text: Federal Rule of Evidence 615 directs a court to exclude witnesses from the courtroom during trial so they do not inﬂuence, and are not inﬂuenced by, the testimony of other witnesses. Rule 615 exempts several categories of witness from exclusion, including a government’s investigative case agent. See Fed. R. Evid. 615(b) & (c); United States v. Berry, 133 F.3d 1020, 1024 (7th Cir. 1998). The district court did not abuse its discretion by permitting both Agent Boxwell and Detective Keith (after her testimony) in the courtroom. Agent Boxwell was the lead investigator for the case and squarely fell under the Rule 615(b) case agent exemption. Similarly, Detective Keith’s presence was essential to the government’s case pursuant to Rule 615(c). Detective Keith’s role was separate from Agent Boxwell’s, the case was multi-jurisdictional, Detective Keith worked for a diﬀerent law enforcement body, and she had independent knowledge of other aspects of the case. Moreover, the district court sequestered Detective Keith until she had completed her testimony, thereby eliminating the risk that the testimony of other trial witnesses would impact hers.