Opinion ID: 1923817
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Did trial court err in directing defendant, in the presence of the jury, to answer the State's question about the source of his cocaine?

Text: We have already noted defense counsel on opening statement conceded defendant made the cocaine deliveries. Defendant took the witness stand and testified he made no profit on the transactions, but merely turned the money over to the people from whom he obtained the cocaine. On cross-examination the State sought the names of those suppliers in several ways. Defendant refused to answer, stating he was afraid of retaliation against his family. Eventually the prosecutor requested the court to direct defendant to answer. After carefully ascertaining the sole reason for defendant's refusal was fear for his family's safety, trial court, in the jury's presence, directed defendant to answer the question. When defendant again refused the court excused the jury. Trial court then verified on the record that defense counsel, in an unreported side-bar discussion, had requested the court not to direct defendant to answer in the jury's presence, because it might prejudice the jury against his client. The court observed the question was proper cross-examination and that the jury should be entitled to draw whatever inference it might from the refusal. Still in the jury's absence, trial court found defendant guilty of contempt of court and imposed imprisonment as a penalty. We upheld this judgment in Gibb v. Hansen, 286 N.W.2d 180 (Iowa 1979). Defendant offers no authority to support his contention trial court erred in directing him to answer the question in the jury's presence, nor have we found any. The question asked was proper cross-examination. See id. at 186; State v. Sparks, 238 N.W.2d 777, 779 (Iowa 1976). Trial court had a right to expect defendant to respond to his direction. In any event, the jury had a right to draw an inference from defendant's failure to respond to that direction. We find no error in these circumstances.