Opinion ID: 758679
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Impeachment Evidence Against Agent Schaefer

Text: 206 Parada argues that the district court abused its discretion by refusing to allow him to introduce evidence that he claims would have impeached agent Schaefer's testimony. First, Parada complains that he was prevented from presenting evidence that agent Schaefer erroneously testified at Parada's pretrial detention hearing that pretrial services had told him that Parada was on probation in New York. Parada sought to present the testimony of Carolyn Baranowski, a pretrial services officer, that her files did not indicate that Parada was on probation as of the date of his arrest. The district court acted well within its discretion in excluding Schaefer's testimony from the pretrial detention hearing and Baranowski's testimony. See United States v. Hawkins, 661 F.2d 436, 444 (5th Cir. Unit B Nov.1981) (There is no right to impeach a witness with respect to collateral or irrelevant matters.). 207 Second, Parada complains that he was precluded from presenting evidence that Parada's son, mother, and daughter were handcuffed while the police arrested Parada and searched his apartment. Agent Schaefer testified that several agents participated in the arrest and search and that he did not see the women handcuffed. He also testified that Parada's son, Christian, had remained handcuffed no more than a half hour, and that the handcuffs were removed when Christian spoke with his father in a bedroom. Christian Parada testified about conversations between agent Schaefer and his father and threats by Schaefer to both Christian and his father to induce their cooperation. In a bill of exceptions Christian Parada testified that he remained handcuffed throughout the search of the apartment and that his mother and sister were handcuffed. 208 The district court did not abuse its discretion in sustaining the government's relevancy objection to exclude the testimony of Christian Parada. That Parada's wife and daughter were handcuffed does not necessarily impeach agent Schaefer's testimony that he did not see them handcuffed. Parada does not argue that the fact that Parada's family was handcuffed is relevant to whether Parada's confession was voluntary. In fact, the statement of Parada that was introduced into evidence was made seven hours later at DEA headquarters after Parada was informed of and waived his Miranda rights. Given the marginal relevance of the testimony that the district court excluded, the court did not err in excluding it.