Opinion ID: 574322
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: admission of james olsafsky's testimony

Text: 57 James Olsafsky was the government's key witness with respect to Count XVI of the indictment charging Reuben Sturman with destroying or concealing subpoenaed documents. Olsafsky handled the bookkeeping for fifteen to twenty of the stores owned by Reuben Sturman. Olsafsky testified that he was directed by Reuben Sturman to destroy numerous documents subject to a grand jury subpoena. The documents ordered destroyed included all records of corporations then in existence which contained the name of a living person. Records of defunct corporations were not destroyed. During examination of Olsafsky, the government requested that he flip through the file of a defunct corporation and identify what records he would have destroyed seven years previously if he had been asked by Reuben Sturman. The defense asserts that it is prejudicial error to allow a key witness to speculate on what documents he might have destroyed, and to bolster witness testimony with a demonstration of document destruction. They assert they are denied the right to cross-examine since the testimony was not based in fact. 58 District court decisions relating to the admission of testimony may not be reversed unless the defendant proves abuse of discretion and specific prejudice. Admissibility of evidence is measured by weighing the probative value of the evidence against its prejudicial value. United States v. Zipkin, 729 F.2d 384, 389-90 (6th Cir.1984). The testimony to which Reuben Sturman objects merely serves to identify the types of documents Olsafsky was ordered to destroy. Since Olsafsky did in fact destroy documents, the use of a similar file to identify the type of destroyed documents is based on personal knowledge. The court was within its discretion in permitting the demonstration. Any prejudice would be outweighed by the probative value of Olsafsky's identification of the types of documents Reuben Sturman ordered destroyed.