Opinion ID: 597400
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 1 Cornell Foster was convicted of possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute the drug. He contests his conviction on two grounds. First, Foster maintains that the trial judge improperly curtailed several inquiries on cross-examination of the police officer whose direct testimony formed the core of the government's case. Second, Foster asserts that the prosecutor, in his closing argument, improperly alluded to alleged prior drug dealing by Foster. Concerning curtailment of defense counsel's cross-examination of the police officer, we are satisfied that the judge acted within his discretion regarding most of the inquiries. We hold, however, that it was serious error to limit defense counsel's probe into the anomalous fact that Foster was arrested holding much less cash than would be expected of someone who had been selling drugs moments before. We also conclude that it was improper for the prosecutor to insinuate that he had knowledge of prior instances of drug dealing by Foster when nothing in the trial record supported the insinuation. Rejecting the government's ultimate argument that these errors were harmless, we reverse the conviction and remand for a new trial.