Opinion ID: 365815
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony of Billy Harris

Text: 25 Billy Harris, a convicted felon, testified against Vargas as a government witness. Vargas complains that Harris was given a reduced sentence on felony charges in exchange for his testimony and that Harris was hostile to Vargas. Vargas argues that Harris's credibility was so questionable that the admission of his testimony denied Vargas a fair trial. 26 Harris unquestionably was a competent witness. Fed.R.Evid. 601. Under present law the granting of a reduced sentence in exchange for testimony affects the weight, not the admissibility, of the testimony. Darden v. United States, 405 F.2d 1054, 1056 (9th Cir. 1969). The same is true with respect to hostility harbored by a witness against a party. See Moore, 580 F.2d at 364; United States v. Kartman, 417 F.2d 893, 897 (9th Cir. 1969). The credibility of the witness was a question for the jury.