Opinion ID: 4531772
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Special Agent Mesisca’s Overview Testimony

Text: Was Admissible On appeal, Lacerda, Resnick, and Manzoni each highlight the length of Special Agent Mesisca’s testimony, as though that alone proves he gave impermissible overview testimony. Not so. This was a complex case in which, as lead investigator, he was directly involved in almost every step of the investigation. Lacerda and Manzoni each further assert that Mesisca offered conclusory statements of their guilt by referring to persons who the government alleged were defrauded by VOG as “victims.” The appellants have cited no authority, and we are aware of none, prohibiting government witnesses from referring to persons as “victims” who are alleged to be victims in the indictment. That there had been victims was not even disputed—it was highlighted by Lacerda and Resnick during their opening statements. Assertions to the contrary notwithstanding, whether there were victims was not at issue in this case. The issue was whether these defendants had defrauded the victims, or otherwise knowingly participated in the fraud occurring at VOG. The jury understood this and, finding insufficient evidence of guilt for one of the defendants, acquitted DiVenti. Lacerda also asserts that Mesisca gave conclusory testimony, without foundation. For example, he testified that “Robert Klein” was Lacerda’s alias. This issue was not preserved by any objection, see Fed. R. Crim. Pro. 51(b), and, having not attempted to show plain error, Lacerda is not entitled to review of this unpreserved issue on appeal. See 13 United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732 (1993).3 But even had this issue been preserved, there was in fact foundation for Mesisca’s testimony: he testified that, during their execution of the search warrant at VOG headquarters, agents had found a list of names with aliases at the receptionist’s desk. “Robert Klein” was listed as the alias for Lacerda, and Mesisca did not find evidence that anyone else ever used that alias. We have reviewed the appellants’ other allegations of improper overview, e.g., the reason for having duplicate copies of client information sheets, whether victims were told about non-judicial foreclosure process, whether Lacerda “freaked out” when he saw one of VOG’s representatives using the “bank pitch” in an email to a victim. etc. After careful review and consideration of the permissible limits of overview as set out above, we find no abuse of discretion in the admission of Mesisca’s testimony. In sum, the government may call as its first witness an officer who is familiar with, or was personally involved in, the criminal investigation, and that officer may testify about all matters within his personal knowledge from the investigation. Special Agent Mesisca’s testimony was largely confined to telling the story of his investigation: how it began, the steps he took, the evidence he uncovered, and the interviews with defendants he conducted. The District Court did not abuse its discretion by allowing this testimony.