Opinion ID: 171021
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admissibility of Oral Testimony of Prior Statement

Text: Mr. Caraway argues that it was error to admit Jessica's oral testimony about the prior statement and error for the prosecutor to use it as substantive evidence. Because Mr. Caraway made no objection to the admission of the oral testimony about the prior statement, we apply plain-error review. See United States v. Lamy, 521 F.3d 1257, 1265 (10th Cir.2008); Fed.R.Evid. 103(d). Plain error occurs when there is (1) error, (2) that is plain, which (3) affects substantial rights, and which (4) seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings. United States v. Gonzalez-Huerta, 403 F.3d 727, 732 (10th Cir.2005) (en banc) (internal quotation marks omitted). Mr. Caraway argues that the introduction of the testimony was a violation of the Carter rule. See Carter, 973 F.2d at 1512-14. Carter, however, does not apply to this fact situation. In Carter a witness for the government gave testimony unfavorable to the government. Id. at 1511. The prosecutor then impeached the witness with his prior statements to the contrary. Id. The defendant argued on appeal that the court erred in allowing the impeachment because the prosecutor knew how the witness was going to testify and called him for the purpose of placing into evidence the impeachment testimony. Id. at 1512. We disagreed with the defendant's assessment of the prosecutor's purpose but acknowledged that [t]he government may not introduce evidence of prior statements under the guise of impeachment for the primary purpose of placing before the jury substantive evidence which is not otherwise admissible. Id. (emphasis and internal quotation marks omitted). Carter, because of the risk that the jury will misuse impeachment evidence, would exclude otherwise admissible evidence when the record clearly and unequivocally establishes that the party's primary purpose in calling the witness or in asking the question was to utilize a prior hearsay statement as substantive evidence. Id. at 1513. Because of the proof required, reversible Carter error is rare (there is no example in our circuit). Cf. United States v. Clifton, 406 F.3d 1173, 1185-86 (10th Cir.2005) (Hartz, J., concurring and dissenting in part) (discussing difficulties with the purpose inquiry). The reason that the oral testimony concerning Jessica's prior statement does not raise a Carter question is that it was not offered for impeachment. When it was offered, she had yet to testify whether she had driven Shawn to the post office. The prosecutor asked Jessica about her prior statement before he asked for her current position. Although a different sequence of events could have presented facts suited to a Carter analysis, Carter does not provide the appropriate test here. Nevertheless, it was improper for the government to elicit Jessica's prior statement before she gave inconsistent testimony and then to use that statement as substantive evidence in closing argument. As just noted, Jessica's statement to investigators was not impeachment evidence because she had yet not testified to the contrary. And it could not be used substantively because for that purpose it would be inadmissible hearsay: an out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted, falling into no exception. See Fed.R.Evid. 801-804. Had the prior statement first been introduced at the proper timethat is, after she testified that she had not driven Shawnit would still have been error for the government to use it as substantive evidence in its closing argument. See Regan-Touhy v. Walgreen Co., 526 F.3d 641, 651 (10th Cir.2008). In any event, even if we assume that there was Carter error, so that the prior statement was not admissible for any purpose, the error does not rise to plain error. We will not reverse a conviction for plain error unless all four prongs of the plain error test are satisfied. Here, the third prongprejudicehas not been satisfied. Under the third prong, a defendant must demonstrate a reasonable probability that, but for the error claimed, the result of the proceeding would have been different. United States v. Fields, 516 F.3d 923, 944 (10th Cir.2008) (internal quotation marks omitted). In other words, Mr. Caraway must demonstrate a reasonable probability that he would not have been found guilty if Jessica's prior statement had not been presented to the jury. Mr. Caraway argues that without Jessica's statement about giving her brother a ride to the post office, Shawn's testimony was wholly uncorroborated and was significantly weaker. Aplt. Br. at 21. We disagree. Shawn's claim that his sister drove him to the post office is a relatively minor detail, one that does not directly implicate Mr. Caraway. Contrary to Mr. Caraway's assertion, the core of Shawn's testimony was substantially corroborated, most critically by the diagram of the device he drew for investigators, which Mr. Caraway concedes is proof that Shawn had seen the device. In addition, both his sister and his mother corroborated his testimony about the threats his father made, his sister corroborated his testimony that there were explosions on the Delia property in 2003, and the postal clerk corroborated his testimony that he paid for postage with a $20 bill. Moreover, Shawn's testimony was merely one part of a strong case against Mr. Caraway. We cannot say that it was reasonably probable that Jessica's prior statement was a critical factor for the jury.