Opinion ID: 550849
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Karen Dickens' Inconsistent Testimony

Text: 19 Petitioner contends that Karen Dickens' inconsistent testimony prejudiced him at trial. Specifically, petitioner argues Dickens grand jury testimony, that she delivered money to Willard Howard to buy paint thinner, was inconsistent with her trial testimony, that she delivered the money for paint thinner to the petitioner. The district court is correct that this inconsistency was fully presented to the jury. The jury heard Dickens' trial testimony and received a copy of the indictment to be read during deliberation. Additionally, petitioner's counsel zealously argued this inconsistency during closing argument. 4 Moreover, as stated earlier, the credibility of witnesses is a determination solely within the province of the jury. Beverly, No. 88-2985, at 43. Apparently, the jury found that the inconsistency did not undermine Dickens' credibility. 20 Petitioner also alleges that it was error for the prosecution to rely on Dickens' testimony when she knew it to be false. A new trial will not be ordered where the prosecution relies on merely inconsistent testimony, as opposed to perjured testimony. United States v. Douglas, 874 F.2d 1145 (7th Cir.1989). Here the objectionable testimony was inconsistent testimony. Even if we characterized the testimony as perjured, which we do not, the petitioner failed to meet his burden regarding the prosecutor's use of perjured testimony. To obtain a new trial on the ground that the prosecutor used perjured testimony, the petitioner must establish 1) the prosecution's case included perjured testimony; 2) the prosecution knew, or should have known of the perjured testimony; and 3) there is a likelihood that the perjured testimony affected the jury's judgement. Id. at 1159 (citing United States v. Kaufmann, 803 F.2d 289, 291 (7th Cir.1986)). Even when liberally construing the petitioner's complaint, as we must, petitioner's statement that the prosecution relied on testimony he knew to be false is not sufficient to meet this burden.