Opinion ID: 64708
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Sequestration Violation and Remedy

Text: The prosecution intended to call three co-conspirators who had pled guilty and turned government witness: Puente-Hernandez, Garcia, and Raul-Hernandez. The first one it called was Garcia, who testified for a morning, offering very damaging evidence about the drug-dealing activities of the defendants. After the morning's testimony, the court recessed for lunch. Upon resumption of the proceedings, it came to light that, during lunch, Garcia, who was held in a room with Puente-Hernandez and Raul-Hernandez (his friends/professional colleagues and fellow government witnesses), had spoken with them while in the room, in violation of the rule of sequestration. [18] The prosecution explained that it had forgotten to inform Garcia of the rule, which he of course had no other reason to know, and had failed to insure that they were held separately during the trial. In response to this revelation, the court interrogated Garcia, sent him back to the (same) holding area while it researched the matter and discussed it further with counsel, and finally allowed the defense to question Garcia as well. This was all out of the presence of the jury. It emerged that the three witnesses had discussed their likely sentences, made small talk, and said a prayer. They had discussed how the defense attorneys were giving Garcia a hard time with his testimony, seeking to impeach and undermine him. And Garcia had asked the other witnesses a few substantive questions regarding the involvement of some of the defendants. It further emerged that when he was sent back after the discovery of the rule violationthis time, he was specifically instructed not to speak to his fellows he had used a vulgar term to describe the defense lawyers, and told his fellow witnesses that they were in trouble because of their previous conversation. After consideration of both sets of contacts in violation of the rule, the court limited Garcia's further testimony to a brief cross examination. It did not permit either Puente-Hernandez or Raul-Hernandez to testify at all. The defense did not object to this arrangement, which essentially fell in line with its requested remedy. [19] On appeal, the defense argues that Garcia's testimony should have been stricken in its entirety and that he should have been examined in the presence of the jury regarding his violation of the rule. The defendants have failed to establish this position, and indeed, further testimony from Garcia regarding his violation of the rule might have led to the jury hearing hearsay concerning some of the defendants' guilt. These arguments are in any case subject to plain error review, a high standard that they do not approach.