Opinion ID: 550869
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Discovery of Background of Confidential Informant

Text: 10 Prior to trial Garcia's counsel filed numerous discovery motions, two of which are relevant here. A MOTION FOR DISCOVERY AND INSPECTION requested the name, identity and whereabouts of any informer who gave information leading to the arrest of the Defendant, and whether said informant was paid by the Government for such information. A MOTION OR REQUEST FOR DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS more specifically addressed these concerns. It requested, among other things, information on any written agreements, the confidential informant's files, the nature and duration of the confidential relationship, the terms and requirements of the current agreement, any monies paid or accrued, charges to be dismissed or plea agreements reached, and the method and number of investigations by any confidential informant. The district court made no recorded ruling on these motions. The record contains no written response by the government. 11 At trial, the government put its paid confidential informant, Aguilera, on the stand. Garcia did not interpose an objection or a request for continuance. The judge took an active role in the questioning of witnesses. To the court's question, Did they pay [for your information and role] in this case? Aguilera responded, No, sir. Aguilera's responses to the status of charges, if any, filed against him in this transaction were abstruse. The court also asked, Have you been convicted of anything before? Aguilera responded, No, sir, I haven't. This answer walks on the technical edge of the truth. As Garcia's counsel discovered after trial, Aguilera had been put on probation for assault for one year by a Texas court pursuant to a deferred adjudication procedure provided by Texas law. Because he met the terms of his probation, no final adjudication of guilt was made. 12 A question was raised as to the nature of the confidential relationship. The government put Officer Aguilar back on the stand. He had testified previously about the surveillance and investigation leading to the prosecution at hand. He testified that Aguilera was their informant from the beginning, that he had worked for them previously, and that no charges were ever contemplated against him based on this transaction. The court again asked questions about monetary arrangements. Aguilar responded that Aguilera received $800, but that this amount had not been set in advance, nor did it depend on testimony at trial. 13 Garcia argues that Aguilera's false and equivocal answers at trial, when scrutinized in the light of his discovery requests, demands reversal for violation of FED.R.CRIM.P. 16 and Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). We disagree. 14 Assuming that Garcia's motions--never responded to by the government or brought to the court's attention for rulings--were proper requests under Rule 16 and that the government was obliged to produce the requested information, when Aguilera took the stand, Garcia neither objected nor requested additional time. Rule 16 states its own remedy for violation: 15 If at any time during the course of the proceedings it is brought to the attention of the court that a party has failed to comply with this rule, the court may order such party to permit the discovery or inspection, grant a continuance, or prohibit the party from introducing evidence not disclosed, or it may enter such other order as it deems just under the circumstances. 16 FED.R.CRIM.P. 16(d)(2) (emphasis added). Failure to object or to request a continuance to meet effectively material subject to disclosure during discovery weighs against a defendant when the prejudice complained of on appeal could have been corrected by originally drawing the court's attention to the matter during the trial. United States v. Scruggs, 583 F.2d 238, 242 (5th Cir.1978); United States v. Avila, 443 F.2d 792, 795 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 944, 92 S.Ct. 295, 30 L.Ed.2d 258 (1971); see also United States v. Kubiak, 704 F.2d 1545, 1551-52 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 852, 104 S.Ct. 163, 78 L.Ed.2d 149 (1983). Without regard to whether the government's nondisclosure may have been in any way justified, our cases consistently have required a showing of prejudice to the substantial rights of the defendant before reversing because of an error in administering the discovery rules. Scruggs, 583 F.2d at 242. 17 In Garcia's case, the information requested substantively concerned only the informant's credibility. However, the court itself tested the limits of this credibility. The judge brought out the paid status of the informant, despite Aguilera's testimony to the contrary. Technically, Aguilera testified truthfully about his previous convictions. Under Texas law, successful probation of a deferred adjudication is not deemed to be a conviction. Texas Code Crim.Proc.Ann. art. 42.12 Sec. 5(c) (Vernon Supp.1990). See Martinez-Montoya v. INS, 904 F.2d 1018 (5th Cir.1990). We find any prejudice to Garcia due to lack of knowledge of this procedure was insubstantial. 18 The foregoing analysis is also helpful with regard to the question presented under Brady v. Maryland, supra. Brady is based in part on the defendant's need to know any exculpatory evidence, and holds that suppression of requested information favorable to an accused violates due process. Brady, 373 U.S. at 87-88, 83 S.Ct. at 1196. This encompasses evidence concerning the reliability of a witness that may be determinative of guilt or innocence. Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 154, 92 S.Ct. 763, 766, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972). However, this decision is limited by the harmless error rule, and does not compel reversal when the defense was able to adequately prepare his case. United States v. Cochran, 697 F.2d 600, 607 (5th Cir.1983). Furthermore, a finding of materiality is required under Brady. [E]vidence is material only if there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different. United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 682, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 3383, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985). 19 Garcia's defense suffered no prejudice due to the government's failure to disclose the information. Garcia's concerns about Aguilera's compensation and criminal record went only to the weight and reliability of his testimony. When Aguilera testified incorrectly as to his fee and other aspects of his confidential arrangement, the government placed Officer Aguilar back on the stand to correct Aguilera's untruthful answer to questions about financial arrangements. Aguilera's answer about his criminal record was not untrue. By the time this experienced trial judge passed judgment, he had full and correct information upon which to appraise Aguilera's testimony. When making his findings of fact after obtaining correct information, he clearly stated, I believe the testimony of the confidential informant beyond a reasonable doubt. 20 Assuming the motions were the equivalent of a Brady demand, any failure on the part of the government to comply fully with Brady mandates in this case to be harmless. We cannot say that the court would have decided this case differently had Garcia obtained this information before trial or before Aguilera testified. We further note that the court did not rely exclusively on Aguilera's testimony. Its decision to convict was not solely premised on the finding of knowledge on the part of Garcia as testified to by Aguilera. Alternatively, the court relied on Garcia's willful blindness to the truth of this transaction under the most unusual of circumstances. 21 Garcia also argues the applicability of cases emanating from Rovario v. United States, 353 U.S. 53, 77 S.Ct. 623, 1 L.Ed.2d 639 (1957). There the Supreme Court explained the government privilege concerning nondisclosure of the identity of confidential informants. These cases are inapplicable where, as here, the government produced its informant for testimony and cross-examination at trial. 22 Garcia also cites United States v. Cervantes-Pacheco, 826 F.2d 310 (5th Cir.1987) (en banc), cert. denied sub nom. Nelson v. United States, 484 U.S. 1026, 108 S.Ct. 749, 98 L.Ed.2d 762 (1988). That case discussed testimony by an informant who had been promised a contingent fee by the government. We held that even though such an informant is not disqualified from testifying, the government must not deliberately use perjured testimony or encourage the use of perjured testimony, and it must also make a complete and timely disclosure to the accused of the fee arrangement it has made with the informant in accordance with Brady. Id. at 315-16. Garcia's is not a situation where the informant, Aguilera, testified subject to a contingent fee arrangement. The government did not use or encourage perjured testimony--it put on its own witness to clear up the confusion generated by the informant's testimony. The fact that the government did not disclose this arrangement before trial does not keep any error from being harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.