Opinion ID: 349452
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Wesley's Absence from Trial

Text: 34 Appellant Wesley claims he was denied his constitutional right to be present at his trial, a right codified in Fed.R.Crim.P. 43. In March, 1976, during a weekend recess in the midst of the trial, Wesley was arrested by federal officials in Washington, D.C. Trial counsel related this to the court on Monday, March 8, pointing out that she could not waive his appearance but stating her belief that proceeding with the trial in his absence (but with his counsel present) would be perfectly satisfactory to Wesley. The court proceeded with the trial that day and the next without protest, while it made efforts to have Wesley released. He was still in jail on Wednesday, March 10, at which point his counsel commented that the situation was serious. Wesley was finally released Wednesday night and appeared in court Thursday, having been absent for three days of trial without any fault on his part or the part of the prosecution in this case. The court attempted to cure any prejudice caused to him by his absence by advising him of the proceedings held in his absence, arranging for him to have a copy of the transcript of the proceedings, and offering to recall any witnesses who had testified during his absence. Wesley did not request the recall of any witnesses, even after the court, over a week after Wesley returned, reminded him that he could do so. The Government argues that he thereby waived his right to be present as to those days, see United States v. Crutcher, 405 F.2d 239, 243 (2d Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 394 U.S. 908, 89 S.Ct. 1018, 22 L.Ed.2d 219 (1969); Parker v. United States, 184 F.2d 488, 490 (4th Cir. 1950) (per curiam), but we need not decide that question. Almost none of the testimony heard during the three days dealt with Wesley. Moreover, he absented himself from the trial voluntarily on a number of occasions, so that the jury was unlikely to draw any adverse inference from his absence on the three days in question. In view of these facts and the opportunity Wesley had to review the transcript and recall witnesses, any error resulting from his absence must be considered harmless.