Opinion ID: 150062
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Exclusion of Polygraph-Related Evidence

Text: Dinga also challenges the district court's exclusion of his offer to take a polygraph test. We review evidentiary rulings for an abuse of discretion and give district courts great latitude in deciding whether to admit or exclude evidence relating to polygraphs. United States v. Beyer, 106 F.3d 175, 176 (7th Cir.1997). We will only disturb a district court's evidentiary ruling if no reasonable person could agree with the ruling. United States v. Tow, 359 F.3d 879, 884-85 (7th Cir.2004). Dinga argues that he should have been allowed to introduce evidence of his offer to take the polygraph test as evidence probative of his mental state. Most courts, including ours, have been wary of this type of self-serving evidence. Beyer, 106 F.3d at 176; United States v. Bursten, 560 F.2d 779, 785 (7th Cir.1977) (offer of a willingness to submit to a polygraph is so unreliable and self-serving as to be devoid of probative value.). Dinga argues that his offer is relevant to his consciousness of innocence and credibility, and that it is especially probative in a case dependent on his credibility. Dinga emphasizes that he was not in custody during his phone interview with Agent Salerno and had not yet talked to an attorney about the investigation. He also maintains that his was a genuine offer, made without knowledge that the results of any such exam might not be admissible in court. The government counters that Dinga's characterization of the exchange as an offer is farfetched. The district court agreed, observing that Agent Salerno initiated and pushed the idea of taking the polygraph test and Dinga's offer that he was available anytime Tuesday to take a test seemed reluctant. The court excluded the evidence because it viewed the offer as Dinga being backed into a corner until, as a last resort, he agreed to take a test because he felt that he had no better options. The district court was well within its discretion to exclude this evidence. There has long been a debate over the admissibility of polygraph testing results, particularly considering the concerns about the reliability of such testing and the possibilities of misleading and confusing the issues for a jury. Beyer, 106 F.3d at 176. As a general matter, the same is true of offers to take polygraph tests. Bursten, 560 F.2d at 785; see also United States v. Harris, 9 F.3d 493, 502 (6th Cir.1993). A juror, having little understanding of the admissibility or reliability of any subsequent results, may erroneously believe that any offer necessarily meant Dinga was innocent. More importantly, Dinga's offer to take a test would only be only marginally probative as to his credibility. Absent an agreement that polygraph results (favorable or not) would be admissible in court, Dinga had little at stake by expressing his willingness to submit to a polygraph test. No test was ever taken, and there is no way of knowing what Dinga knew about the subsequent admissibility of any such test results. He may have believed that the test would be taken and the results would be admissible, or he may have known that he would never submit to a test, or he may have believed that any results would be inadmissible in court. The great potential of confusing the issues and misleading the jury substantially outweighed any probative value of the offer as to Dinga's credibility. The district court's decision to exclude Dinga's offer to take a polygraph test was not an abuse of discretion.