Opinion ID: 779815
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the government's pretrial identification tactics

Text: 21 Manning argues that Carolyn Heldebrand's in-court identification was the product of an unduly suggestive pretrial identification procedure. In order to determine if identification testimony is admissible, the trial court must first determine if the pretrial identification technique was impermissibly suggestive. Manson v. Brathwaite, 432 U.S. 98, 110, 97 S.Ct. 2243, 53 L.Ed.2d 140 (1977). If so, then the court must decide whether, under the totality of the circumstances, the suggestive confrontation created a substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification. Griffin v. Delo, 33 F.3d 895, 908 (8th Cir.1994). 22 In 1990, Heldebrand was shown a photo spread of six people, one of whom was Manning. She pointed to Manning as looking similar to the person who picked up the ransom money from her, but said the person she saw had lighter hair. She was then shown four individual pictures of people, including one of Manning. In this picture, Manning had lighter hair. Manning claims the government's method here was unduly suggestive because his picture was the only one common to both photo spreads. 23 Although Manning may be correct on this point, the photo spread nonetheless did not create a substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification. Id. In fact, Heldebrand was unable to identify Manning at her deposition, nor was she able to identify him at the first trial. It was not until the second trial that she identified Manning as the assailant. As such, Manning can hardly argue that the suggestive photo line-up forever etched his image as the assailant in Heldebrand's mind. Heldebrand's in-court identification at the second trial was the more likely the product of her seeing Manning as the defendant time and again throughout these extended criminal proceedings. Manning is not entitled to relief on this ground. 24