Opinion ID: 582485
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Cross-Examination of Herndon

Text: 19 Wilson argues that the district court erred by allowing the government to cross-examine her character witness, Gwen Herndon, based on facts not in the record. After testifying about Wilson's character, the government asked Herndon on cross-examination: 20 Were you aware that Ms. Wilson, as president of Tracon, and J.F. Spann, wrote checks to cash from a corporate account in the amount of $158,000? 21 The defense objected to the question as being outside of the evidence, and asked for a mistrial. The court's denial of the motion was appropriate. An FBI summary witness testified that he traced checks payable to Cash endorsed by some or all of the defendants, as well as checks payable directly to the defendants. He also testified that roughly $158,000 was paid out to the defendants, accounts controlled by the defendants, or companies that the defendants controlled or attempted to control. The question therefore did not assume facts not in evidence.