Opinion ID: 859065
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Berber’s Testimony

Text: Wallace argues for the first time on appeal that the district court erred in admitting Berber’s testimony because Berber acted as a government informant and was unreliable based on his criminal history. Because this argument was not properly preserved before the district court, we review for plain error and will reverse only if Wallace can show that the district court committed a clear and obvious error that affected both his substantial rights and the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of the judicial process. See United States v. Ali, 616 F.3d 745, 751-52 (8th Cir. 2010). To demonstrate an effect on his substantial rights, a defendant is generally required to show “a reasonable probability that the outcome would have been different absent the alleged error.” United States v. Yielding, 657 F.3d 688, 707-08 (8th Cir. 2011), cert. denied, 565 U.S. ---, 132 S. Ct. 1777 (2012). Wallace does not offer any evidence in support of his assertion that Berber acted as a government informant. Berber testified that he was not promised anything -6- in exchange for his testimony. In fact, Berber already had received a sentence reduction for his cooperation in a prior case and was told any further reduction would be unlikely. Wallace simply points to Berber’s “continuing relationship” with the government to speculate that Berber acted as a government informant. Berber was otherwise competent to testify under Federal Rule of Evidence 601.2 With respect to Wallace’s argument that Berber’s credibility was in doubt based on his criminal history, we note that credibility determinations are left to the jury. See United States v. Reddest, 512 F.3d 1067, 1071 (8th Cir. 2008). Moreover, even if the testimony should have been excluded, Wallace has not shown that admission of the testimony affected his substantial rights. Apart from Berber’s testimony, the Government presented substantial evidence that Wallace recorded and possessed sexually explicit material involving minors, including the videotape itself, testimony from M.J., and Wallace’s signed confession. Wallace has failed to show a “reasonable probability that the outcome would have been different absent the alleged error.” Yielding, 657 F.3d at 707-08. We therefore find that there was no plain error entitling Wallace to relief.