Opinion ID: 204991
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Use of the Videotaped Confession at Trial

Text: Muhlenbruch asserts that the district court erred under Federal Rule of Evidence 403 when it permitted the jury to view Muhlenbruch's videotaped confession multiple times during trial and deliberations. Under Rule 403, relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. We review the district court's decision not to exclude evidence under Rule 403 for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Boesen, 541 F.3d 838, 848 (8th Cir.2008). The government played Muhlenbruch's videotaped confession during its case-in-chief, during Muhlenbruch's cross-examination when Muhlenbruch's testimony was inconsistent with his confession, and during the government's closing argument. The jury then requested to view the video in open court several times during deliberations. Muhlenbruch contends that allowing the jury to view the video multiple times violated Rule 403 because it placed too much evidentiary emphasis and decision-making weight on the video to the exclusion of other properly admitted evidence. We disagree. First, we find that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it permitted the government to play the videotape during its case-in-chief, during Muhlenbruch's cross-examination, and during closing arguments. As stated above, under Rule 403, the confession's probative value must be substantially outweighed by unfair prejudice. Evidence is not unfairly prejudicial because it tends to prove guilt, but because it tends to encourage the jury to find guilt from improper reasoning. Whether there was unfair prejudice depends on whether there was an undue tendency to suggest decision on an improper basis. United States v. Farrington, 499 F.3d 854, 859 (8th Cir.2007) (quotations omitted). Muhlenbruch's videotaped confession was highly probative because it was direct evidence of Muhlenbruch's guilt. Moreover, the confession was used, in part, to impeach Muhlenbruch's testimony that when he confessed to downloading child pornography he was merely referring to legal pornographic images of adults made to look like children. As the Supreme Court has recognized, [i]t is essential... to the proper functioning of the adversary system that when a defendant takes the stand, the government be permitted proper and effective cross-examination in an attempt to elicit the truth. United States v. Havens, 446 U.S. 620, 626-27, 100 S.Ct. 1912, 64 L.Ed.2d 559 (1980). While the playing of Muhlenbruch's confession during trial was certainly prejudicial to Muhlenbruch's case, we do not find that the high probative value of the confession was substantially outweighed by unfair prejudice under Rule 403. We also find that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it permitted the jury to view the video several times in open court during deliberations. It is within the sound discretion of the trial court to determine whether to allow a jury to review properly admitted testimony or recordings during deliberations. United States v. Haren, 952 F.2d 190, 197 (8th Cir.1991); United States v. Koessel, 706 F.2d 271, 275 (8th Cir.1983). Here, the district court permitted the jury to review the videotaped confession because (1) it was properly introduced into evidence, and (2) an unspecified problem with the court's sound system made the confession difficult to hear at trial. As the district court explained to Muhlenbruch's attorney before deliberations, [I]t's entirely possible that ... one or more jurors will wish to hear at least segments of [the video] repeatedly to try and grasp specifically what was said. After the first viewing of the confession during deliberations, the record reflects that for a short period of time during the playback of the interview to the jury, the video portion of the playback was lost. The audio continued. Before the second viewing of the tape, the jury requested a transcript of the confession but counsel for both parties agreed that the request should be denied because a transcript was not in evidence and, in fact, did not exist. Upon the jury's request, the court then permitted the jury to view the video a second time and issued a written response to the jury that provided, You must make your decision on all of the evidence already in the record. See Koessel, 706 F.2d at 275. After the second viewing, the court granted the jury's further requests to view specific portions of the video. Under these circumstances, we cannot say that the district court abused its discretion when it permitted the jury to view Muhlenbruch's confession multiple times during deliberations.