Opinion ID: 159728
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dr. McGiver

Text: 35 Mr. Velarde challenges three parts of Dr. McGiver's testimony as unreliable and inadmissible: (1) Dr. McGiver's testimony that certain of L.'s behaviors (having nightmares, bed-wetting and angry outbursts) were consistent with having been sexually abused; (2) Dr. McGiver's testimony that she recommended L. receive therapy; and (3) Dr. McGiver's testimony that she found no evidence that L. was subject to either lying or overexaggerated fantasizing in her life. R. Vol. V at 202. Mr. Velarde sought and was denied a Daubert reliability hearing on Dr. McGiver's proposed testimony. The record reveals no reliability determination with respect to that testimony. As with Dr. Ornelas, we conclude that the district court abused its discretion in admitting Dr. McGiver's testimony after failing to make any kind of reliability determination with respect thereto. We need not address whether, had a proper reliability determination been made, any particular parts of Dr. McGiver's testimony would have been impermissible for any reason. We note, however, that, as we stated in Charley, testimony which essentially simply vouches for the truthfulness of another witness is impermissible. See Charley, 189 F.3d at 1267.