Opinion ID: 723861
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: exclusion of exculpatory testimony

Text: 25 Melvin contends that the trial court erroneously refused to allow his co-defendant Fonda Snyder's attorney, Kenneth Cory, to testify concerning exculpatory statements made by David Fieler. Fieler had allegedly talked to Cory about the core members of the conspiracy, and had not, at the time, mentioned Melvin's name. The court excluded the testimony as hearsay. A district court's evidentiary rulings are reviewed for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Manning, 56 F.3d 1188, 1196 (9th Cir.1995). 26 Melvin contends that the statement was not hearsay. He relies on Fed. R. Ev. 801(d)(1)(A). This rule states that: 27 [a] statement is not hearsay if ... [t]he declarant testifies at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross-examination concerning the statement, and the statement is (A) inconsistent with the declarant's testimony, and was given under oath subject to the penalty of perjury at a trial, hearing, or other proceeding, or in a deposition. 28 The court found Fieler's statement to be not inconsistent with his testimony at trial, and that Fieler's statements to Cory were not made under oath as required by the rule. Because there was no prior inconsistent testimony, 4 and no statement under oath, Cory's testimony was properly deemed hearsay. 29 Melvin contends that the testimony should nevertheless have been allowed under the residual exceptions of Fed.R.Evid. 804(b)(5) and 803(24). This claim is without merit. Rule 804 requires that the declarant be unavailable. Yet the declarant, Fieler, testified at Melvin's trial. Rule 803(24)(C) requires that a statement not covered by any enumerated exceptions to the hearsay rule, but having nevertheless equivalent guarantees of trustworthiness may be admitted if the interests of justice would be best served by its admission. With respect to Cory's testimony, there were no equivalent circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness as required by the rule. Because the interests of justice would not be aided by the inclusion of this hearsay testimony, Cory's statements were properly barred.