Opinion ID: 1933813
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: ross' appeal

Text: Prior to trial, Ross moved the court to sever the obstruction of justice count against him from the remaining counts. His attorney made an ex parte presentation to the trial judge in which she explained the grounds for her motion. At the conclusion of that presentation, the judge denied the motion, stating his reasons as follows: I think it is fair to say that Mr. Ross, at a separate trial, might wish to testify on the obstruction of justice charge, and might not wish to testify on the armed robbery charge for reasons Ms. Sager [20] has elaborated to some extent. But, I'm not satisfied that that justifies a severance in this case of what are clearly, properly and really necessarily joined offenses. For the reasons we discussed on Friday, the evidence of the armed robbery in the Government's case is going to be ... admissible... on the obstructing justice charge, even if it were tried separately, and the evidence of the obstructing justice charge would be admissible in the armed robbery case, even if it were tried separately, and there would be no way to separate the two, since it is the government's theory [that] the armed robbery provides the motive for the obstruction, and [that] the obstruction demonstrates consciousness of guilt for the armed robbery. Under the case law, these charges are clearly properly joined. They would be joined properly under [Super.Ct.Crim.] Rule 8(a), if Mr. Ross were tried alone, and they are joined properly under Rule 8(b), when he's joined properly with Mr. Roy. It may well be, if he chooses to testify and limits his testimony to the encounter in December with Mr. Miller, putting his own interpretation on that encounter, that I will limit, to some extent, cross-examination of him about the armed robbery itself, although some cross-examination about that will inevitably be proper. I will try to limit the scope of cross in a way that it doesn't prejudice Mr. Ross any more than necessary, if he chooses to limit his testimony to the alleged obstruction of justice incident.       For those reasons, the motion to sever is denied. Mr. Ross may or may not testify. If he does, he may or may not testify about both incidents. If he testifies only about one of them, then I will rule at that time on what the scope of cross-examination should be. On appeal, Ross' sole contention [21] is that the trial judge abused his discretion in denying his motion for a severance. [22] We agree with the judge's analysis, however, and conclude that he did not abuse his very considerable discretion, Lemon v. United States, 564 A.2d 1368, 1370-71 (D.C.1989), in denying the motion. Ross relies on Cross v. United States, 118 U.S.App.D.C. 324, 326, 335 F.2d 987, 989 (1964), for the proposition that severance was called for even if the evidence of each offense would have been admissible at the separate trial of the other. He argues, and Cross suggests, that an accused may be prejudiced if he is effectively compelled to testify on one count upon which he wishes to remain silent as a result of the joinder of several offenses for trial. See also Roper v. United States, 564 A.2d 726, 731 n. 9 (D.C.1989) (per curiam). If this proposition is taken to its logical conclusion, however, then it is the defendant, and not the judge, who makes the decision whether there shall be one trial or two. As the court explained in Baker v. United States, 131 U.S.App.D.C. 7, 401 F.2d 958 (1968), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 965, 91 S.Ct. 367, 27 L.Ed.2d 384 (1970), unless the election referred to by appellant is to be regarded as conclusiveand we think it should not beno need for a severance exists until the defendant makes a convincing showing that he has both important testimony to give concerning one count and strong need to refrain from testifying on the other. In making such a showing, it is essential that the defendant present enough informationregarding the nature of the testimony he wishes to give on one count and his reasons for not wishing to testify on the otherto satisfy the court that the claim of prejudice is genuine and to enable it intelligently to weigh the considerations of economy and expedition in judicial administration against the defendant's interest in having a free choice with respect to testifying. Id. at 25-26; 401 F.2d at 976-77 (footnotes omitted). In the present case, the judge took seriously his obligation to weigh the potential prejudice to Ross from a joint trial against the countervailing considerations of judicial economy. Ross' proposed testimony regarding his encounter with Millerdefense counsel proffered that Ross would have admitted that the encounter occurred but would have denied threatening Miller [23] would not have been altogether exculpatory, for Ross would have confirmed that the two men met and that they had discussed Miller's testimony, and he would thus have corroborated significant aspects of Miller's version of the event. The judge indicated his readiness to place reasonable restrictions on any cross-examination of Ross regarding the armed robbery, provided that this could be accomplished without unfairness to the prosecution. He exercised his discretion judiciously and did not abuse it.