Opinion ID: 339970
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Refusal to Admit Juvenile Adjudication for Impeachment

Text: 20 William Orgeron was called by the Government and testified that he had in fact sold drugs which he had received from Joseph Oddo to the Jefferson Parish agents. He in no way implicated appellants and his testimony as to the existence of the conspiracy was thoroughly corroborated by surveillance and the testimony of Oddo. Nevertheless, appellants urge that the trial court's refusal to allow them to cross examine Orgeron as to an adjudication of juvenile delinquency denied them the right of confrontation and requires reversal of this case. 21 It is not clear from the record before us whether the trial court found the evidence inadmissible under Rule 609(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence, pertaining to the remoteness of convictions used for impeachment, or 609(d) which generally precludes use of juvenile adjudications for such purpose. Nor are any of the facts relating to the adjudication known to this court. In any case, admission of such evidence requires the court to find either that its probative value . . . substantially outweighs its prejudicial effect (609(b)) or that its admission is necessary for a fair determination of the issue of guilt or innocence. (609(d)). Appellants proffered no evidence concerning the adjudication and therefore cannot complain of the trial court's failure to admit the evidence based on such specific findings. See United States v. Alvarado, 519 F.2d 1133 (5th Cir. 1975). 22 Appellants further contend that the denial of cross-examination of Orgeron as to his juvenile delinquency adjudication is violative of Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, 94 S.Ct. 1105, 39 L.Ed.2d 347 (1974). Davis, however, is readily distinguishable in that, in that case, the witness was, at the time of trial, on probation for burglary and the defense was attempting to establish possible bias through introduction of the adjudication. The Court also noted the importance of the witness' testimony to the State's case and found that, in that limited setting, allowance of cross examination was paramount to the general policy against impeachment through juvenile adjudications. Since neither of those considerations are present in the instant case, we find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to allow appellants to pursue the matter further. See United States v. Beasley, 519 F.2d 233 (5th Cir. 1975); Snyder v. Coiner, 510 F.2d 224 (4th Cir. 1975); Cotton v. United States, 355 F.2d 480 (10th Cir. 1966); Luck v. United States, 121 U.S.App.D.C. 151, 348 F.2d 763 (1965); and Thomas v. United States, 74 U.S.App.D.C. 167, 121 F.2d 905 (1941). 23