Opinion ID: 2076678
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: defendant's alleged phone call to the fbi

Text: The defendant contends that he was prevented from presenting a mitigating factor to the jury. Defendant argues that he should have been allowed to show, through the testimony of FBI agent Fred Ligarde, that prior to his arrest in Texas for a bank robbery, he had phoned the FBI and told FBI agent Robert Baker that he did not want to hurt anyone and was contemplating surrender. The State argues that the trial judge was correct in precluding the defendant from questioning agent Ligarde regarding a phone call that Ligarde had not received. Agent Ligarde, the State asserts, had no personal knowledge as to either the substance of the call or the identity of the caller, since he had not actually received the call. Agent Baker had received the call, so the State maintains only agent Baker or the defendant could testify as to the substance of the conversation. The trial judge sustained the State's objections on the grounds that it would be double hearsay. However, the judge stated that if the defendant testified as to the conversation, then the FBI report which would allegedly corroborate the defendant's testimony could be admitted. Defense counsel stated at that time that defendant would probably testify. However, defendant was never called to the stand and no other evidence was ever introduced regarding the alleged phone call. Defendant's complaint that he was denied the opportunity to present evidence of this alleged phone call in mitigation is without merit. Defendant could have testified that he made the call and, as the trial judge pointed out, he could have corroborated that testimony with an FBI report. The defendant could also have called agent Baker to testify regarding the conversation. The defendant's argument that, since the trial judge did not allow a witness to testify regarding a conversation to which the witness was not even a party, he was prevented from presenting evidence in mitigation defies logic.