Opinion ID: 6928543
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Credibility of the reporting witness

Text: The Swans say that the statements were unreliable because the day-care workers, especially Conradi, were pre-disposed to find child abuse. Amicus supports this position. Amicus essentially makes a policy argument that in cases involving nontraditional hearsay exceptions, the trial court should be vigilant in assessing reliability by making a preliminary evaluation of the reporting witness’ credibility. Whatever the merits of this view, a federal habeas court may not prescribe evidentiary rules for the states. We may grant relief only if there is serious constitutional error. We do not read the Confrontation Clause as mandating a threshold assessment of the reporting witness’s credibility before the admission of hearsay evidence. The Supreme Court has limited the reliability inquiry required by the Clause to whether the circumstances surrounding the making of the statement “render the declarant particularly worthy of belief.” Id. 497 U.S. at 820, 110 S.Ct. at 3149 (emphasis added). Unlike the declarant, the reporting witness is subjected to cross-examination and the requirements of an oath. See United States v. Hinkson, 632 F.2d 382, 385 (4th Cir.1980) (discussing trustworthiness requirement included in the analogous residual hearsay exception, Fed.R.Evid. 803(24)). See also John E.B. Myers, Evidence in Child Abuse and Neglect, § 7.45, at 249, 262, 264 (2d ed. 1992) (reporting witness’ credibility not a reliability factor that surrounds the making of the statement). The jury, not the trial judge, must weigh the reporting witness’s credibility. Obviously the trial court must make some inquiries, such as deciding whether a witness is competent to testify. But the Confrontation Clause does not require the court to take basic credibility determinations from the jury.