Opinion ID: 757282
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Agent Rehman's Testimony as Both an Expert and Fact Witness

Text: 46 Simpson argues that the trial court erred in allowing Detective Rehman to testify for the government as both a factual and an expert witness. Appellant's Br. at 17-18. However, it is not at all clear from the record that Simpson properly raised this objection below. Before the trial court, counsel's comments suggested only that Rehman was not qualified to offer expert testimony; counsel never argued that it was improper for Rehman to testify both as a factual witness and as an expert witness. See Appellant's App. Vol. II at 171 (arguing only that Rehman had not established his expertise in forensics and/or the investigation of child pornography ... or child exploitation). 47 Because counsel failed to object at trial, or at least objected on grounds not now asserted as error, we review this issue for plain error only. United States v. Markum, 4 F.3d 891, 895 (10th Cir.1993). We cannot now say that it was plain error for the trial judge to have admitted this testimony, if indeed it was error at all. See, e.g., United States v. Castillo, 77 F.3d 1480, 1499 (5th Cir.1996) (stating that a witness can be both a factual witness and an expert witness in the same trial); United States v. Rivera, 971 F.2d 876, 888 (2d Cir.1992) (same); United States v. Catlett, 97 F.3d 565, 571 (D.C.Cir.1996) (same). In particular, we would find no error here because the jury was informed of Rehman's dual roles when the government did not seek to qualify Rehman as an expert until after he had given his factual testimony and because Rehman was subjected to thorough cross-examination. See United States v. Thomas, 74 F.3d 676, 682-83 (6th Cir.1996); United States v. Foster, 939 F.2d 445, 453 (7th Cir.1991).