Opinion ID: 588163
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Manifest Intent of Statement

Text: 121 In applying this test, the court cannot find that counsel 'manifestly intended' to comment on the defendant's failure to testify if some other explanation for his remark is equally plausible. Id. at 1578 (quoting Carrodeguas, 747 F.2d at 1395) (quoting United States v. Rochan, 563 F.2d 1246, 1249 (5th Cir.1977)). We review the district court's determination of whether manifest intent was present under an abuse of discretion standard. United States v. Watson, 866 F.2d 381, 386 (11th Cir.1989). 122 We agree with the district court that the prosecutor's explanation for his remark is, at the very least, as plausible as an interpretation that the prosecutor intended to comment on the defendant's failure to testify. Swindall argues that the explanation is not plausible because (1) Fed.R.Evid. 608 prohibits specific instances of a witness's conduct probative of character for truthfulness from being proved by extrinsic evidence, such as direct examination of another witness; (2) an attorney with the prosecutor's experience would therefore not lay the groundwork for evidence that could not be admitted; and (3) the only remaining explanation is that the prosecutor commented on Swindall's failure to testify. 123 We note first that appellant's Rule 608(b) argument fails because in fact the prosecutor did call Fierer to the stand on rebuttal and did question Fierer about the specific instance of Smith's conduct, and defense counsel did not object on Rule 608(b), or any other, grounds. We also note that Rule 608(b) provides that evidence of specific instances of a witness's conduct may, in the discretion of the court, if probative of truthfulness or untruthfulness, be inquired into on cross-examination of [a] witness ... concerning the character for truthfulness or untruthfulness of another witness as to which character the witness being cross-examined has testified. Fierer already had testified for the defense that Smith had falsely testified about the meeting with Swindall. Arguably, the prosecutor could be allowed to recall Fierer on rebuttal and ask him, as if he were still cross-examining him, about specific instances of Smith's character for truthfulness. At the very least, the closeness of the question renders the prosecutor's explanation as plausible as any other. 124