Opinion ID: 2995409
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Hearsay testimony by law enforcement

Text: officers. Addressing the alleged hearsay testimony (Birge’s statements regarding Hunt and the Acura Legend purchase) given by law enforcement officers and assuming, arguendo, that the statements were inadmissable, the testimony was harmless. We believe beyond a reasonable doubt that it did not contribute to the verdict. In reaching this conclusion, we consider (1) the importance of the witness’s testimony in the prosecution’s case; (2) whether the testimony was cumulative; (3) whether other evidence corroborated or contradicted the witness’s material testimony; and (4) the overall strength of the prosecution’s case. See United States v. Westmoreland, 240 F.3d 618, 629 (7th Cir. 2001). Here, the first and third factors all really collapse into the second. The testimony was cumulative. As a consequence, it was not very important to the prosecution’s case, and it was corroborated by other evidence. All the testimony was basically the same, that Birge said Hunt had put the car in his name to hide the asset. This statement is precisely the same as that given by the co-conspirators. More importantly (recognizing co-conspirators’ credibility problems), Hunt’s own admission to law enforcement officers that he obtain[ed] a loan at the bank for the vehicle he purchased for Birge so it wouldn’t look so suspicious, corroborates the testimony. Regarding the fourth factor in the analysis, the government had a good case against Hunt. The facts were not in substantial dispute. Hunt’s only real contentions lie in the inferences drawn as to his state of mind (i.e., his knowledge of and desire to help the conspiracy). We have already determined, without relying on the hearsay testimony, that those arguments were meritless. We are not convinced that the result of the proceeding was affected by the hearsay testimony or that the result of the trial would have been any different had the testimony been excluded. Based on our analysis, we believe beyond a reasonable doubt that the presumed error did not contribute to the verdict and was harmless.