Opinion ID: 789452
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Decision to Admit Expert Testimony

Text: 59 Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence provides that where scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact, an expert witness possessing such knowledge may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise, if (1) the testimony is based upon sufficient facts or data, (2) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods, and (3) the witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case. We review a district court's qualification of an expert witness, as well as its admission of that witness's testimony, for abuse of discretion, and we will sustain its rulings unless they are manifestly erroneous. United States v. Cruz, 363 F.3d 187, 192 (2d Cir. 2004) (internal quotation marks omitted) (and cases cited therein); United States v. Feliciano, 223 F.3d 102, 120 (2d Cir.2000); United States v. Russo, 74 F.3d 1383, 1394 (2d Cir.1996). 60 As this court has frequently recognized, expert testimony from a law enforcement official can assist a jury in a narcotics case to understand the general operating methods of the illicit drug trade and to interpret case-specific evidence. See United States v. Dukagjini, 326 F.3d at 52; United States v. Boissoneault, 926 F.2d 230, 232-33 (2d Cir.1991) (collecting cases). Although the transactions here at issue may seem straightforward, even commonplace, to those who routinely deal with drug cases, we are not yet convinced that every person sworn to serve on a federal jury understands the relationship between crack and powder cocaine, or the different methods employed by drug dealers operating at various levels of the distribution chain. To the extent the district court allowed Agent Rodriguez to testify briefly about such matters, we find no manifest error in its decision. 61