Opinion ID: 663160
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Cross-examination of Carrillo Regarding Attorney-Client Communications

Text: 18 On cross-examination, the district court allowed the prosecutor to inquire whether Carrillo had discussed his testimony with his attorney prior to taking the stand. Carrillo admitted that he had. Next, the prosecutor asked Carrillo about an event that Carrillo had discussed during direct examination that was interrupted by a court recess. The prosecutor used this line of questioning to expose a subtle difference in Carrillo's testimony before and after the recess and, thus, to create an inference that Carrillo's attorney had coached him on the subject during the recess. Carrillo claims that this tactic violated his attorney-client privilege. 19 The privilege does not extend beyond the substance of confidential attorney-client communications. In re Fischel, 557 F.2d 209, 211 (9th Cir.1977). Here, the prosecutor's questions did not reach the substance of the legal advice given to Carrillo. The district court allowed the prosecutor to ask only whether Carrillo met with his attorney and whether his testimony was discussed at those meetings. Coaching is a proper subject of impeachment in cross-examination. Geders v. United States, 425 U.S. 80, 88-90, 96 S.Ct. 1330, 1335-1336, 47 L.Ed.2d 592 (1976). The prosecutor did not violate Carrillo's attorney-client privilege by inquiring whether communications occurred and raising the inference of coaching.