Opinion ID: 423923
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: credibility and evidentiary determinations.

Text: 25 The defendants claim that the district court erred in denying them a new trial in the interests of justice. Defendants pose the following arguments: (1) that Wolfe's testimony was unworthy of belief; (2) that their convictions were influenced by evidence concerning Chief Reed which, they contend, would be inadmissible in a new trial; and (3) that evidence concerning Wolfe's prior arrests for rape was improperly excluded. We will discuss these arguments in turn. 26 A. Wolfe's Credibility. 27 Defendants aver that Wolfe's testimony was so incredible as to be unworthy of belief because it showed him to be prone to grandiose exaggerations and delusions. Brief for Appellant Reed at 11; Brief for Appellant Burton at 12. Defendants urge that Wolfe's status as a convicted felon was a factor causing [sic] further doubt on his credibility. Brief for Appellant Reed at 12; Brief for Appellant Burton at 13. 28 The jury is the ultimate judge of the credibility of witnesses. Wolfe's credibility or the lack thereof was submitted to the jury, which assigned it whatever weight it deemed proper. This court will declare testimony incredible as a matter of law only under extraordinary circumstances, when it is so unbelievable on its face that it defies physical laws. United States v. Lerma, 657 F.2d 786, 789 (5th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 921, 102 S.Ct. 1279, 71 L.Ed.2d 463 (1982). There is no indication in the record that Wolfe's testimony approached this level. Furthermore, there was evidence of Wolfe's prior convictions before the jury. The extent to which his credibility was impaired thereby was properly left to that body to decide. The district court correctly considered the defendants' contentions in this regard to be without merit. 29 B. Evidence Regarding Chief Reed. 30 The defendants also contend that evidence concerning Chief Reed, allegedly imputed to the defendants because they were charged as co-conspirators, would be inadmissible against them in a new trial. Defendants cite no authority for this argument, relying instead on the bald assertion that [s]ince Chief Reed was acquitted, all of that evidence was, in effect, improperly before the court and should not have been considered in determining the [defendants'] guilt. Brief for Appellant Reed at 11; Brief for Appellant Burton at 12. 31 The sparse authority on this point indicates that the evidence with regard to Chief Reed would be admissible against the defendants in a new trial. In Kamanosuke Yuge v. United States, 127 F.2d 683 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 317 U.S. 648, 63 S.Ct. 43, 87 L.Ed. 522 (1942), the Ninth Circuit held that the jury's failure to convict one defendant of conspiracy does not render inadmissible testimony with regard to his acts and declarations as against other co-conspirators. Although Kamanosuke dealt with the admissibility of this kind of evidence in the context of one trial, we think that the Ninth Circuit's rationale is equally, if not more, applicable to the instant circumstances: 32 To hold with appellants ... would make the trial of conspiracy charges practically impossible. It would require a trial judge in each instance to foresee just what decision the jury will reach as to each alleged co-conspirator before he could rule upon the admissibility of evidence of acts and declarations of the co-conspirators. Such a rule applied in a jury case would practically abrogate the rule of responsibility of all members of a conspiracy for acts of the other conspirators. 33 Id. at 689. To find in favor of the defendants in this case would mean that the acquittal of one co-conspirator, where any evidence was admitted as to his or her acts or declarations in furtherance of the conspiracy, would always serve as the basis for a new trial for the convicted co-conspirators. Such a result is clearly untenable. 34 More recently, in United States v. Bass, 472 F.2d 207 (8th Cir.1973), the Sixth Circuit held that the acquittal of one defendant in a prior proceeding did not preclude the admission, in a subsequent trial involving different defendants, of testimony regarding his role in a conspiracy involving other defendants and co-conspirators. 3 35 In light of this holding and that in Kamanosuke, supra, we hold that the trial court committed no error in denying defendants' motion for a new trial on this basis. 36 C. Evidence Regarding Wolfe's Prior Arrests for Rape. 37 Finally, the defendants assert that the trial court erred in excluding evidence with regard to Wolfe's prior arrests for rape. They argue that this evidence was admissible under Fed.R.Evid. 404(b) as showing a pattern of behavior impeaching Wolfe's assertion that Burton consented to have sex with him. See Brief for Appellant Burton at 13-15. The admission or exclusion of evidence at trial is a matter within the discretion of the trial judge, and such evidentiary rulings will be upheld unless they constitute an abuse of discretion. See United States v. Barron, 707 F.2d 125 (5th Cir.1983); United States v. Shaw, 701 F.2d 367 (5th Cir.1983); United States v. Cochran, 697 F.2d 600 (5th Cir.1983). We find no such abuse here. 38 The first time that the defendants attempted to raise the issue of Wolfe's prior arrests was during the examination of Thomas Davis, a member of the Allen Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff's Department. The defense sought to question Davis about the contents of an investigative report prepared by FBI agent Roberson, which apparently indicated that Davis had told Roberson of Wolfe's prior rape arrests. This testimony was properly excluded by the trial court on the basis of Fed.R.Evid. 608(b), which provides: Specific instances of the conduct of a witness, for the purpose of attacking or supporting his credibility ... may not be proved by extrinsic evidence. Under this rule, it is well settled that it is reversible error to permit the introduction of extrinsic evidence to prove misconduct that did not result in a conviction. See United States v. Cluck, 544 F.2d 195 (5th Cir.1976); see also United States v. Cohen, 631 F.2d 1223 (5th Cir.1980). 39 The defense next attempted to raise this issue during its cross-examination of Wolfe. At that time, the defendants' attorneys sought to question Wolfe with regard to statements he made to investigators about the prior rape charges. The court again refused to permit the subject to be raised, relying again on rule 608(b). Because the rule specifically contemplates the inadmissibility of such a prior statement, the trial court was correct in so ruling. 40 Moreover, rule 404(b) provides: Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith. Fed.R.Evid. 404(b). See generally Wright & Graham, Federal Practice and Procedure: Evidence § 5239 (1978). To the extent, therefore, that rule 404(b) provided a basis for the court's rulings, we would also affirm. Because the defendants' purpose in attempting to introduce such evidence was precisely what is forbidden under this rule, its exclusion was proper. 41 The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.