Opinion ID: 572467
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cross-Examination of Flynn's Wife

Text: 110 Flynn claims that his wife was improperly questioned by the government on cross-examination about her husband's infrequent filing of tax returns. Flynn believes that questioning on this topic, which was not discussed on direct examination, is in violation of the rules of evidence and resulted in juror prejudice. 111 Federal Rule of Evidence 611(b) governs the scope of cross-examination. While the rule specifically limits cross-examination to the subject matter of direct examination and to matters affecting witness credibility, it also provides: [t]he court may, in the exercise of discretion, permit inquiry into additional matters as if on direct examination. 112 The record shows that the government's questioning and emphasis on the peripheral tax issue was brief and inconclusive--Mrs. Flynn's answer to the government's question concerning whether she was aware that her husband had not filed tax returns since 1980 was that she was unaware of her husband's filing habits. The relative insignificance of Mrs. Flynn's answer and the government's question does not compel us to assign error in this regard. See United States v. DeGeratto, 876 F.2d 576 (7th Cir.1989) ([o]rdinarily error is found only when a prosecutor dwells at great length and in further detail on the particulars of prior crimes. Id. at 583).