Opinion ID: 4562342
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the prosecution intentionally caused the

Text: defense witness to invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination with the purpose of distorting the fact-finding process; or (b) the prosecution granted immunity to a government witness in order to obtain that witness’s testimony, but denied immunity to a defense witness whose testimony would have directly contradicted that of the government witness, with the effect of so distorting the fact-finding process that the defendant was denied his due process right to a fundamentally fair trial. Id. at 1162. Defendants’ request for immunity for Shidane from arrest abroad was somewhat distinct from a request for use 20 Whether a district court erred by refusing to grant use immunity is a mixed question of law and fact that we review de novo. United States v. Straub, 538 F.3d 1147, 1156 (9th Cir. 2008). 48 UNITED STATES V. MOALIN immunity and may implicate additional separation of powers concerns. Even assuming defendants were required to satisfy only the Straub test, however, that test was not met. Defendants contend they met the first prong because the government had named Shidane as “uncharged co- conspirator #1.” But there is no indication that the government “intentionally caused [Shidane] to invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination with the purpose of distorting the fact-finding process.” Straub, 538 F.3d at 1162. The government referred to “uncharged co-conspirator #1” in the October 2010 indictment and subsequent indictments, suggesting the government had long considered Shidane a person of interest and did not change its position to discourage Shidane’s testimony. And the district court found no evidence “to suggest that the Government interfered in any manner with Mr. Shidane’s ability to appear at his deposition.” Defendants were not entitled to compel safe passage for Shidane. As for defendants’ request to take a video deposition of Shidane in Somalia, a court may grant a motion to depose a prospective witness, including by video, “because of exceptional circumstances and in the interest of justice.” Fed. R. Crim. P. 15(a)(1); see United States v. Yida, 498 F.3d 945, 960 (9th Cir. 2007). Courts consider, “among other factors, whether the deponent would be available at the proposed location for deposition and would be willing to testify,” as well as “whether the safety of United States officials would be compromised by going to the foreign location.” United States v. Olafson, 213 F.3d 435, 442 (9th Cir. 2000). We review the district court’s denial of defendants’ motion for abuse of discretion. United States v. Omene, 143 F.3d 1167, 1170 (9th Cir. 1998). UNITED STATES V. MOALIN 49 The district court reasoned that permitting defendants to depose Shidane by video in Somalia would not be in the interests of justice because defendants could not show that there would be procedures in place to ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of Shidane’s testimony. Specifically, defendants could not show that an “oath in Somalia is subject to penalties of perjury and judicial process like those available in the United States.” In light of these concerns, the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendants’ motion. Even if the district court did abuse its discretion, any error, in denying either defendants’ request for “safe passage” or their request to depose Shidane by video, was harmless. Shidane’s anticipated testimony could have marginally supported the defense’s showing that Moalin contributed to humanitarian causes, including those opposed to al-Shabaab. But, as we have noted, there was considerable other evidence in the record that Moalin contributed to a variety of humanitarian causes. Additionally, the government made clear it was not alleging that Shidane was part of al-Shabaab, and the government did not rely on the money transfers to Shidane in its arguments to the jury. In short, the district court’s refusal to compel “safe passage” or to permit a video deposition in Somalia did not prejudice the defense.