Opinion ID: 605
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Motion for a Psychiatric Examination

Text: Appellants next assert that the district court erred in denying their motion for a psychiatric examination of Samirah. The motion was based on: (1) the affidavit of Dr. Barent Walsh, a clinical social worker providing therapy to self-injuring persons, which stated, based on Dr. Walsh's examination of photographs of Samirah's injuries, that although he could not be certain since he had never seen her, the photographs showed injuries that could be consistent with self-injury, Varsha App. 251; (2) Samirah's discharge papers from the Nassau University Medical Center, which noted that she was being referred to an outpatient psychiatry clinic; and (3) the affidavit of one of the appellants' daughters which stated that she had frequently observed Samirah behaving in a strange fashion (for instance by urinating uncontrollably), and that she had heard Samirah state after the death of her son, Erwin, that she deserve[d] to be punished. Varsha App. 246-47. The Sabhnanis also relied on letters written by Samirah that contained what they argued to be further evidence of Samirah's possible mental instability. Judge Platt denied the motion, which the defense renewed shortly prior to trial before Judge Spatt. [9] At that time, the defense also relied on the deposition testimony of Samirah's daughter Lita regarding information that Varsha Sabhnani had provided to her about Samirah's behavior. Judge Spatt denied the renewed motion. Ordering a witness to undergo a psychological examination is a drastic measure. United States v. Russo, 442 F.2d 498, 503 (2d Cir.1971); see also United States v. Kehoe, 310 F.3d 579, 592 (8th Cir.2002). Given the inherent problems in allowing psychiatric examination of a witness, including invasion of privacy, limiting availability of witnesses, [and] chilling testimony, United States v. Gates, 10 F.3d 765, 766 (11th Cir.1993), a court should exercise its discretion to require such examinations only sparingly. Here, the Sabhnanis do not claim that Samirah was incompetent to testify, but only that the district court abused its discretion by failing to allow the defense to gather evidence of Samirah's psychological state that could have been used to impeach her credibility. We conclude that this argument is without merit. In Russo, where we rejected the argument that a purported pathological liar should have been required to undergo an independent psychiatric exam, we noted that so long as the jury from its observation has the opportunity to appraise the credibility of the witness in the light of the facts impugning his veracity, this constitutes the constitutional safeguard of a defendant's rights. 442 F.2d at 502. This precept is fully applicable here. The jury had a full opportunity in this case to assess Samirah's credibility, and a psychiatric examination would not have added measurably to its ability to do so. Samirah testified for part or all of six days, and faced extensive cross-examination. [10] The Sabhnanis argue that because Samirah's testimony was given through an Indonesian interpreter the jury was unable to assess her tone of voice. Even assuming this to be case, however  a matter on which we express no opinion  the fact that Samirah's testimony was conveyed to the jury through the medium of an interpreter did not measurably lessen the jury's ability to assess other aspects of her testimony, such as the content of her statements, her body language, and her facial expressions. Cf. Vasquez v. Kirkland, 572 F.3d 1029, 1038 (9th Cir.2009) (testimony by deaf-mute through two separate sets of interpreters did not deprive defendant of opportunity to cross-examine witness; jury could assess credibility because witness testified under oath and jury could observe her demeanor). The Sabhnanis also point to Samirah's testimony that Varsha Sabhnani put a spell on Samirah's son Erwin as evidence of Samirah's unstable mental condition. That the jury heard this testimony, however, only further undermines any claim that a psychiatric examination was needed to assist the jury in evaluating Samirah's state of mind. We conclude that the district court acted well within its discretion in determining that the evidence proffered by the appellants in support of their motion was insufficient to show the need for a psychiatric exam. Dr. Walsh's affidavit, based only on a review of photographs, indicated merely that Samirah's injuries might be consistent with self-injury  an assertion that fell well short of demonstrating any mental instability, much less mental instability warranting the conduct of a psychiatric examination. Cf. United States v. Gutman, 725 F.2d 417, 420 (7th Cir.1984) (finding no abuse of discretion in the district court's refusal to hold a hearing to determine whether a witness with a history of mental illness was competent to testify). Similarly, Samirah's letters, most of which Samirah testified Varsha dictated to her and forced her to write, did not demonstrate the need for investigation into Samirah's mental state and, in any event, were themselves available for assessment by the jury. The hospital discharge papers noting Samirah's referral to an outpatient psychiatric clinic do not explain the reason for the referral, but Dr. Attali testified that such a recommendation is routine for most recovering trauma victims. The district court did not abuse its discretion by declining to afford these notes much weight. Finally, neither the Sabhnani daughter's affidavit attesting to Samirah's strange behavior  much of it, according to Samirah's later testimony, caused by the Sabhnanis' mistreatment  nor the deposition testimony of Samirah's daughter, which merely reported Varsha Sabhnani's self-serving statements, established a compelling need for Samirah's examination. The district court did not err, much less abuse its discretion, in determining that a psychiatric examination was not warranted.