Opinion ID: 71367
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Correct Testimony

Text: 16 Appellants claim that Heredia made several false statements in the course of his testimony that the government failed to correct. They correctly cite Napue v. Illinois, 360 U.S. 264, 79 S.Ct. 1173, 3 L.Ed.2d 1217 (1959), for the proposition that the prosecutor must correct known falsehoods. Although the record is unclear regarding whether the government indeed violated Napue, 14 we hold that reversal is inappropriate on these facts. Reversible error occurs only if a failure to correct results in material prejudice such that there is any reasonable likelihood that the false testimony would affect the jury's judgment. United States v. Alzate, 47 F.3d 1103, 1110 (11th Cir.1995). Defense counsel fully explored every inconsistency alleged by the appellants when the trial judge re-opened cross-examination. We hold, therefore, that the jury's judgment would not have been affected. 17