Opinion ID: 778185
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Duverge's arguments to this court

Text: 25 Since Duverge's original appeal has been reinstated, we have before us the arguments raised both in the original appeal and in the supplemental briefs addressing Judge Preska's decision after remand.
26 In his original appeal, Duverge argued that the district court erred in excluding the polygraph evidence. He asserted that the standard for admitting scientific evidence at sentencing is more relaxed than at trial, that a credibility determination was at the heart of the sentencing, and that the reliability of polygraph evidence has improved. He therefore argued that the district court abused its discretion in refusing to accept it. 27 The Government responded that it is not clear in this circuit whether a sentencing court may admit polygraph results, as this court has expressly reserved judgment on that issue. United States v. Messina, 131 F.3d 36, 42 (2d Cir.1997). Moreover, the Government asserted, it was well within the district court's discretion to deny admission of the evidence, as the Supreme Court has observed that there is no consensus that polygraph evidence is reliable. United States v. Scheffer, 523 U.S. 303, 309-12, 118 S.Ct. 1261, 140 L.Ed.2d 413 (1998). The Government also argued that regardless of the general reliability of polygraph evidence, it did not bear directly in this case on whether Perez and Duran had cooked the crack because the relevant questions during the lie detector test centered on whether Duverge had discussed crack prior to the day of the sale and whether he had ever sold crack. The Government also argued that the evidence would have been cumulative, and that admission of the evidence would have been time-consuming. Additionally, the Government argued that the rules of evidence do not apply to sentencing proceedings, citing United States v. Brown, 52 F.3d 415, 425 (2d Cir.1995) and Fatico, 579 F.2d at 711. 28 We essentially agree with the Government. A district judge has broad discretion as to what types of procedure are needed at a sentencing proceeding for determination of relevant disputed facts. United States v. Slevin, 106 F.3d 1086, 1091 (2d Cir.1996). The discretion of a sentencing court is similarly broad either as to the kind of information [it] may consider, or the source from which it may come. United States v. Carmona, 873 F.2d 569, 574 (2d Cir.1989). We review such determinations for an abuse of discretion. Slevin, 106 F.3d at 1091. 29 When evaluating whether to adopt a particular procedure to resolve sentencing disputes, a district court must analyze, among other things, the probative value and burdens of the proposed procedure. See United States v. Prescott, 920 F.2d 139, 144 (2d Cir.1990). The crucial issue before the court at the sentencing hearings both before and after the remand was, as Judge Preska stated, strictly one of credibility at which she would have a chance to see for herself the attitude and demeanor of both Duverge and Perez. In addition, polygraph evidence, even if credited by the judge, would have had little bearing on the district court's decision that Duverge's story that Perez and Duran had cooked the crack in his apartment using a coffee pot they had brought with them was simply not a credible one. Considering the record of the proceeding as a whole, the limited probative value of the polygraph evidence and, as the judge stated, the time it will take to put it in, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to hear this testimony. 30
31 Duverge launches various attacks on Judge Preska's determination that the testimony of Duverge was not as credible as the testimony of Perez. On his reinstated appeal, Duverge makes the additional argument that the district court erred in its treatment of Perez's refusal to answer questions on Fifth Amendment grounds in the April 2001 hearing. He claims that the district court should have (1) ruled that Perez waived his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and directed him to answer the questions asked, or in the alternative, stricken Perez's testimony; (2) inferred that Perez's answers to the questions he refused to answer would have supported Duverge's positions; and (3) found that Perez's testimony was not reliable. Duverge also claims that Perez's refusal to answer certain questions about his truthfulness during his earlier sessions with the Government constituted a refusal to respond to questions on non-collateral matters, and required the district court to strike Perez's earlier testimony. 32 The Government argues that Judge Preska's finding that Perez was more credible than Duverge was not clearly erroneous. It also contends that the district court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to strike Perez's previous testimony, especially because Perez had asserted the Fifth Amendment privilege only on collateral matters. The Government also argues that Duverge abandoned his argument that Perez waived his Fifth Amendment privilege, and that even if Duverge had pressed this argument, it would fail. 33 We review the sentencing court's factual findings for clear error, United States v. Ortiz, 136 F.3d 882, 883 (2d Cir. 1997), and the decision refusing to strike testimony because a witness refused to answer a question on Fifth Amendment grounds for abuse of discretion, see United States v. Yip, 930 F.2d 142, 147 (2d Cir. 1991). 34 We find clear support in the record for the district court's decision to credit the testimony of Perez over that of Duverge. Judge Preska stated that her credibility findings were based on the demeanor of the witnesses, and her view that Duverge's version of the events was simply not a credible one. Morever, as the Government points out, Judge Preska was aware of all of the facts that brought about the remand and second hearing, including the drug charge against Perez in Maine. We cannot say that on this record, the judge's finding that Perez's testimony regarding the drug transaction was more credible than Duverge's was clearly erroneous. 35 Moreover, the judge did not abuse her discretion in refusing to strike Perez's testimony after he refused to answer certain questions based on his assertion of his Fifth Amendment rights. The district court ruled that the questions Perez refused to answer concerned collateral matters not related to the drug deal at issue in this case, and that Duverge had been given a full and fair opportunity to cross-examine Perez about his direct testimony both at the September 1999 hearing and at the April 2001 hearing. On this record, we agree with both rulings.
36 Duverge's remaining arguments on his first appeal were that the district court had erred by (1) finding his testimony untruthful and thus denying him a downward departure under the safety valve provisions of U.S.S.G. §§ 5C1.2, 2D1.1(b)(6) and 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f); and (2) holding that the doctrines of sentencing entrapment or sentencing manipulation did not permit a downward departure. 37 These arguments are without merit. A district court's refusal to depart downward is generally unreviewable on appeal, see United States v. Tenzer, 213 F.3d 34, 42 (2d Cir.2000), unless its action falls within a few narrow exceptions to the general rule. See, e.g., id. (there is a narrow exception to the general rule of non-appealability when the sentencing court mistakenly believes that it lacks the authority to depart). No exception applies here. 38 Finally, according to Duverge, sentencing entrapment occurs when government agents induce a defendant to commit an offense that the defendant was not otherwise predisposed to commit, and sentencing manipulation occurs when the government engages in improper conduct that has the effect of increasing the defendant's sentence. United States v. Caban, 173 F.3d 89, 93 & n. 1 (2d Cir.1999). However, since Judge Preska credited Perez's version of events over Duverge's version, and this finding was not clearly erroneous, we will not consider Duverge's argument that the doctrines of sentencing entrapment or sentencing manipulation apply. Under Perez's version of events Duverge was knowingly involved in a crack deal the whole time, and therefore was not induced to commit an offense that he was not otherwise predisposed to commit. 39 We have considered all of Duverge's arguments and we find them to be without merit. Judgment affirmed.