Opinion ID: 431903
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Gustafson's Motion in Limine

Text: 24 At the close of the government's case, the court granted a judgment of acquittal to Bacigalupo. As he was available as a witness, Gustafson announced his intention to call Bacigalupo to testify for the defense. The government advised that, if Bacigalupo was called, its cross-examination would include the subject matter of the second indictment pending against Bacigalupo and Gustafson. Gustafson made a motion in limine requesting that the government not be allowed to broach the second indictment in cross-examination. The trial court refused to rule in advance on the motion and Gustafson chose not to call Bacigalupo to the stand. 25 Gustafson asserts that this court's decision in United States v. Burkhead, 646 F.2d 1283 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 898, 102 S.Ct. 399, 70 L.Ed.2d 214 (1981), compels a finding of reversible error. We disagree. In Burkhead, the court found reversible error when a trial court failed to rule in advance on whether a defendant could be cross-examined regarding events underlying his conviction on severed substantive counts as it was determinative of his desire to take the stand. We find that Gustafson's reliance on Burkhead is misplaced. The court in Burkhead held that in the usual case the judge has discretion to refuse to rule in advance, however, this case was so outside the ordinary that a refusal to rule in advance on a matter determinative of the defendant's desire to take the stand constituted an abuse of discretion. Id. at 1285. Thus, Burkhead is the exception and the instant case is covered by the general rule. The court did not abuse its discretion.