Opinion ID: 515723
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Restriction of the cross-examination of Yudzevich.

Text: 31 Armone and Gallo contend that the district court abused its discretion by limiting the cross-examination of government-witness George Yudzevich. In a case pending in California, Yudzevich was charged with the commission of various crimes. Armone and Gallo argue that the trial court's decision to limit the cross-examination concerning these charges, along with an instruction to the jury to assume Yudzevich's guilt concerning the charges, deprived them of a fair trial. We disagree. 32 A district court has broad discretion over the scope of cross-examination. See United States v. Bari, 750 F.2d 1169, 1178 (2d Cir.1984), cert. denied, 472 U.S. 1019, 105 S.Ct. 3482, 87 L.Ed.2d 617 (1985). This discretion includes reasonable control to make the interrogation ... effective for the ascertainment of the truth and to avoid needless consumption of time. United States v. Clark, 613 F.2d 391, 407 (2d Cir.1979), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 820, 101 S.Ct. 78, 66 L.Ed.2d 22 (1980). An exercise of this discretion will not be overturned absent a clear showing of abuse. See Bari, 750 F.2d at 1178. 33 Cross-examination of Yudzevich consumed three days. In response to questioning, Yudzevich admitted that he had committed numerous crimes over the years. In regard to questions about the charges pending in California, however, Yudzevich invoked his fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination. After balancing the defendants' sixth amendment rights to test the credibility of the witness against them, and Yudzevich's fifth amendment rights, the district court instructed the jury that they were to assume that Yudzevich was guilty of the crimes charged in California. Further cross-examination regarding the California charges could do no more than establish Yudzevich's guilt--an issue already settled by the trial court's instruction. The trial court's determination that such questioning would unnecessarily prolong the trial was well within its discretion and will not be disturbed. 34