Opinion ID: 506169
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Strickland's Benefits from the Witness Protection Program

Text: 94 Bell contends that restrictions imposed by the trial court effectively prevented his counsel from cross-examining Strickland about the benefits Strickland received in the Witness Protection Program. Bell is right, of course, to point out that a defendant must be given a reasonable opportunity to cross-examine a government witness as to any agreement with the prosecution. United States v. Greenwood, 796 F.2d 49, 54 (4th Cir.1986); United States v. Sampol, 636 F.2d 621, 660 (D.C.Cir.1980). The right to confront prosecution witnesses is not, however, absolute. Reasonable restrictions may be imposed, see Van Arsdall, 106 S.Ct. at 1435, and here we find those of the trial court eminently reasonable. 95 Contrary to Bell's contention, the trial court did not totally preclude Bell from questioning Strickland about the program. It ruled that Bell could cross-examine as to payments and other support provided by the government, Tr. 1340, imposing one restriction and one condition. The restriction was to prohibit questions about the protection aspect of the program and Strickland's generalized fear of the other defendants, as they contrast to Bell. Id. This limit, based on the very real danger of prejudice to the other defendants, was well within the court's discretion. 96 The court's condition was that if the subject were opened, either the government or other defendants could elicit from Strickland the name of the program--including the word protection. The court explained that completely unexplained admissions by Strickland that he was receiving money and other support from the government would create the damaging inference that the prosecution was paying Strickland to testify. Tr. 1344-46. Bell admits in his brief that his counsel made the tactical decision to forego all cross-examination on the Witness Protection Program in order to avoid opening the door for the government to bring out the name of the program on re-direct examination, with its connotation that Strickland feared violent retribution from all the defendants, including Bell. Brief for Bell at 31-32. Forcing the defendant to this kind of tactical decision hardly amounts to a total prohibition of inquiry into Strickland's bias. Moreover, Bell's counsel was given the opportunity to--and did--question Strickland at great length as to several other important aspects of the plea bargain with the government. Tr. 1434-69. In sum, the trial court's restrictions on Bell's cross-examination of Strickland regarding the Witness Protection Program constitute neither a violation of the Confrontation Clause nor an abuse of discretion. 97