Opinion ID: 792547
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Bohn's Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause Challenge

Text: 47 Next Bohn claims that the district court violated her Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause rights because it placed limitations on her cross-examination of a prosecution witness, Sharon Carballo, regarding Carballo's drug use over a decade earlier and her present recovery treatment. The Supreme Court long has recognized that the Confrontation Clause guarantees an opportunity for effective cross-examination, not cross-examination that is effective in whatever way, and to whatever extent, the defense might wish. Delaware v. Fensterer, 474 U.S. 15, 20, 106 S.Ct. 292, 294, 88 L.Ed.2d 15 (1985) (per curiam) (emphasis in original). But a district court retains wide latitude insofar as the Confrontation Clause is concerned to impose reasonable limits on cross-examination to avoid, among other things, harassment, prejudice, confusion of issues, or interrogation that is only marginally relevant or is repetitive. United States v. Mussare, 405 F.3d 161, 169 (3d Cir.2005) (internal citation omitted). Accordingly, a court of appeals reviews limitations on cross-examination for an abuse of discretion. Id. If we determine that there was an abuse of discretion, we then must review the error to see if it is harmless. United States v. Casoni, 950 F.2d 893, 902 (3d Cir.1991). 48 We are satisfied that the district court did not abuse its discretion in limiting Bohn's cross-examination of Carballo. The prosecution called Carballo to demonstrate Bohn's abuse in the use of union credit cards. In order to determine the permissible scope of cross-examination the district court allowed Bohn's counsel to question Carballo at a voir dire outside of the presence of the jury. At that time Carballo explained that she was a recovering heroin addict who has been on a treatment program under the supervision of a physician and counselors. She further explained that within that program she takes methadose, a mild form of methadone that her physician prescribed. Carballo also admitted that she had used cocaine eleven years earlier and she acknowledged that she had been convicted of the offense of cocaine possession in 1989, for which she had been placed on probation. The district court ruled that the conviction could not be used on cross-examination and determined that her past drug use and present methadose treatment did not affect her demeanor, method of expression, or apparent ability to process. 16 49 In reaching its conclusions the district court acted well within its discretion in limiting the scope of Bohn's cross-examination of Carballo. Moreover, the court properly adhered to its ruling in denying Bohn's counsel's subsequent attempt to impeach Carballo's account of receiving gifts of champagne from Bohn predicated on the attorney's statement that, in his experience recovering drug users should remain alcohol-free as well as drug-free. Bohn Br. at 42-43. Considering that Carballo's past drug use and present recovery efforts had no connection to her testimony concerning Bohn's spending habits and use of union credit cards, and did not affect her credibility as a witness, the district court did not abuse its discretion by limiting the cross-examination of Carballo to exclude reference to these matters. 50