Opinion ID: 618612
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Hearing Testimony of Yankwitt

Text: Yankwitt testified that he too, prior to the second trial ( see, e.g., Tr. 103-04), had discussed with Bennett the right to testify and had conveyed to him my view that testifying at his second trial would be a really bad idea because Yankwitt feared that an effective cross would be devastating to any chance of an acquittal ( id. at 100-01). Yankwitt testified that, while making that recommendation, he always made clear to clients that it was their decision whether or not to testify ( id. at 101). He did not have a specific recollection of advising Mr. Bennett that the decision of whether to testify ... was his and his alone ( id. at 111; see also id. at 101), but he testified that it was his practice that [he] always said those things when [he] talked to a defendant about waiving significant rights ( id. at 101-02). Yankwitt testified that a day or two after his pretrial discussion with Bennett about testifying, Gombiner informed Yankwitt that Bennett had decided not to testify. ( See id. at 103-04.) Yankwitt had no further discussions with Bennett as to whether Bennett would testify. Yankwitt's reasons for viewing it as inadvisable for Bennett to testify at the second trial were largely the same as those expressed by Gombiner in his testimony, described in Part I.D.1. above. It was preferable for Bennett not to testify because at the first trial Pat had admitted to perjuring himself in a proceeding before the SEC and had explained that perjury in a way that couldin a way that could very well sound like he chose to lie because he believed that that would best serve his interests. (Tr. 100.) And although the government could introduce evidence of Bennett's perjury and obstruction if Bennett did not testify, Yankwitt believed it would be less inflammatory for that evidence to come in through transcripts than through Bennett's live testimony. ( See, e.g., id. at 100-01.) The court paraphrased: THE COURT: I think you said, Mr. Yankwitt, earlier, that it would be better for [Bennett's convictions for perjury and obstruction of justice resulting from the first trial] to come in without being hit over the head with it as he would have been had he testified to it and got on the stand. THE WITNESS: Yes. ( Id. at 113.)