Opinion ID: 380919
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: additional legal issues presented

Text: 90 Other issues have been raised by the appellants. While they warrant some comment, in no event are they grounds for reversal of any conviction.A. 91 Appellant Stampede Johnson contends that his Sixth Amendment confrontation rights were violated when cross-examination of government witnesses Charles Ward and Thurston Shrader was restricted by the trial court. Following several questions about Ward's drug usage, his paid informant status, and a sentence for a prior conviction, further examination was limited to 45 minutes. Specifically his counsel was denied opportunity to discover the identity of certain associates of Ward's at the time of a particular drug purchase. 92 A trial judge may and must exercise discretion to limit cross-examination into collateral matters. Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942); Howard v. United States, 128 U.S.App.D.C. 336, 341, 389 F.2d 287, 292 (1967). While the time limitation may have placed a degree of pressure on Johnson's counsel, who then indicated that the schedule interfered with his preparation and concentration, under the circumstances of these cases and the matters explored, the restriction of cross-examination was not an abuse of discretion or prejudicial. See Alford v. United States, 282 U.S. 687, 692, 51 S.Ct. 218, 219, 75 L.Ed. 624 (1931). 93 The fact remains that counsel conducted a long and thorough cross-examination of Ward. We cannot find that the limitations on the cross-examination were sufficiently disconcerting or substantively improper to call for reversal on constitutional grounds. See United States v. Pugh, 141 U.S.App.D.C. 68, 72, 436 F.2d 222, 226 (1970); Howard, 128 U.S.App.D.C. at 341, 389 F.2d at 291-92. 94 Appellant also raises a Sixth Amendment challenge because of restrictions in the cross-examination of Thurston Shrader, a white prisoner held at the D.C. Jail. Counsel was granted full opportunity to discredit Shrader and otherwise to lay bare Shrader's obvious self-motivation to shorten his jail time by producing good evidence. The trial court properly sustained the prosecutor's objections and was warranted in limiting further questioning when it appeared that tangential matters were being explored. B. 95 Appellant Slade alleges reversible error because on redirect examination by ant Ward identified him as having sold narcotics at the prosecution, the informant Ward identified him as having sold narcotics at a time prior to the conspiracy. Slade was not charged in the indictment with that particular sale. Objection to Ward's testimony was sustained by the trial court and a motion for a mistrial was denied. (Tr. at 591-606). Rule 404(b), Fed.R.Evid., providing for the inadmissibility of prior bad acts, was applicable here. 96 However, we do not find Ward's statements sufficiently prejudicial to disturb Slade's conviction. Both informants Ward and Whaley testified against Slade on various counts of the indictment. As it developed it appears that the jury was not convinced by any of Ward's testimony against Slade. No convictions on the distribution counts against the appellant were based on Ward's testimony. The other evidence presented against Slade was substantial, was properly submitted to the jury, and resulted in convictions on four substantive counts as well as the conspiracy. C. 97 Appellant Redd claims prejudicial joinder in light of the serious disparity of evidence against him as compared to the other defendants. His motion for severance was denied. The indictment placed him in the area of the narcotic transactions on only several occasions. 98 The trial court has great discretion in severance matters, with the balance generally to be struck in favor of joint trials. United States v. Hines, 147 U.S.App.D.C. 249, 266, 455 F.2d 1317, 1334, cert. denied, 406 U.S. 975, 92 S.Ct. 2427, 32 L.Ed.2d 675 (1972). 99 Absent a dramatic disparity of evidence, any prejudice caused by joinder is best dealt with by instructions to the jury to give individual consideration to each defendant. United States v. Haldeman, 181 U.S.App.D.C. 254, 295, 559 F.2d 31, 72 (1976), cert. denied, 431 U.S. 933, 97 S.Ct. 2641, 53 L.Ed.2d 250 (1977). 100 The government's case against Redd included testimony of the informant Whaley together with audio and video tapes of the sales. The evidence was independent and substantial. The trial judge properly instructed the jury to determine the guilt or innocence of each defendant separately. (Tr. at 2165-66). The record simply does not show that Redd's conviction was prejudicially based on evidence against his co-defendants.