Opinion ID: 77379
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Forfeiture Phase

Text: 35 Finally, Arbolaez argues that the district court committed reversible error in refusing to allow him to present evidence and argument during the forfeiture phase of the trial. Denial of the opportunity to make a final argument to the trier of fact, is a denial of the basic [constitutional] right of the accused to make his defense. See Herring v. New York, 422 U.S. 853, 859, 865, 95 S.Ct. 2550, 2554, 2556, 45 L.Ed.2d 593 (1975). Similarly, [i]mplicit in [a defendant's Sixth Amendment Right to compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor] — as well as in the basic notion of `due process of law' in general — is the idea that criminal defendants must be afforded the opportunity to present evidence in their favor. United States v. Hurn, 368 F.3d 1359, 1362 (11th Cir.2004) (citations omitted). Errors in contravention of these constitutional rights must be found harmless beyond a reasonable doubt before an otherwise valid conviction will be set aside. See Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 24, 87 S.Ct. 824, 828, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967). Finally, constructive denial of counsel is legally presumed to result in prejudice and thus to constitute a structural error. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 692, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 2067, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); see also United States v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648, 659 & n. 25, 104 S.Ct. 2039, 2047, 80 L.Ed.2d 657 (1984) (structural error exists where counsel is prevented from assisting the accused during a critical stage of the proceeding). 36 Arbolaez's counsel was denied the opportunity to argue, with respect to the forfeiture phase of the trial, even that the existing record evidence did not satisfy the additional elements required for forfeiture. He was denied the opportunity to present any evidence on the issue or to do anything to challenge the forfeiture. The government concedes the error but argues that it is harmless. Although we may say it is unlikely, given the paucity of information in the record about what evidence Arbolaez might have introduced during the forfeiture phase of his trial, that such evidence would have made a difference to the jury, we cannot call this error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt as to this phase of the trial.