Opinion ID: 179514
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Allowance of Collins' Testimony

Text: Henderson contends the district court, having been advised pre-trial of the government's unwillingness to vouch for Christie Collins' credibility, and having denied the government's request to call her as a witness under Federal Rule of Evidence 614, should have exercised its discretion sua sponte to exclude her testimony. To allow the testimony of an incompetent witness is said to have been an abuse of discretion. Alternatively, Henderson complains that the government's decision to call Collins despite misgivings about her credibility constituted subornation of perjury and denied him due process. Despite his protestations, Henderson has not even so much as identified any part of Collins' testimony that substantiates the charge that she was not competent to testify or testified falsely. Yes, the Assistant U.S. Attorney was forthrightly reticent to call Collins, but when he felt constrained to do so, Henderson did not object. The issue is raised for the first time in this appeal. Hence, the claim that the court abused its discretion or that the government engaged in prosecutorial misconduct is subject only to plain error review. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 52(b). In other words, to win relief on appeal, Henderson must establish that (1) an error occurred; (2) the error was obvious or clear; (3) the error affected his substantial rights; and (4) the error seriously affected the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of the judicial proceedings. United States v. Mayberry, 540 F.3d 506, 512 (6th Cir.2008) (quoting United States v. Cline, 362 F.3d 343, 348 (6th Cir.2004)). Henderson is hard-pressed to meet any of these four requirements without identifying how Collins manifested incompetence or testified falsely. Granted, Collins' testimony was erratic and of questionable reliability, but this characterization could be used to describe the testimony of a sizable portion of witnesses who commonly testify in criminal cases. Significantly, the transcript offers no grounds to question Collins' rationality while testifying, or whether she was under the influence of any drug or medication, or whether she understood her obligation to tell the truth. Nor is Collins' testimony manifestly false in any way. She appears to have been a cooperative witness. It was for the jury to assess her credibility and determine the weight her testimony was entitled to. In sum, Henderson has not carried his burden of demonstrating that the district court committed plain error or that the prosecution engaged in any misconduct that affected his substantial rights and the fairness of the trial.