Opinion ID: 561802
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Should the Reports Be Admitted?

Text: 38 We turn finally to the issue of whether one or both of the reports should have been admitted under Rule 803(8)(C). Because this is an issue of law and the relevant facts are undisputed, we address the issue. 7 Our first inquiry is whether under proper analytical considerations the Air Force report should have been admitted. The comprehensive investigation began within days of the alleged discrimination and the final report was issued within three months. All parties charged were interviewed, and a hearing was held. 39 The defendants assert three problems with the Air Force report: that there were conflicts within the Air Force over the case, that Perry Moss had conflicts with the Air Force, and that the Air Force investigators relied on hearsay evidence. All are common occurrences in difficult investigations and do not mean that the preparation of the report was untrustworthy. The fact that Perry Moss disagreed with the Air Force at times suggests in fact that the Air Force was independent, not that the report is untrustworthy. In addition, many government reports, as with many expert witnesses, have to rely in part on hearsay evidence, and the reports are not generally excluded for this reason. Under Rule 703, experts are allowed to rely on evidence inadmissible in court in reaching their conclusions. There is no reason that government officials preparing reports do not have the same latitude. The defendants have failed to prove that the report is untrustworthy. 8 Nevertheless, as set out below, the court on remand need not admit the entire investigatory file. 40 We must also consider under proper legal requirements whether the second HUD report should be admitted. This is a harder question than is the admissibility of the Air Force report. We find, after thorough consideration, that the defendants have proved that the HUD report is untrustworthy. 9 Most important, the investigation and report were untimely. According to the file, Johnson began the investigation in January 1987, and completed it in mid-April 1987. The report is dated April 24, 1987--two years after the alleged discrimination in negotiations and sixteen months after the subsequent sale to the white couple. Recollections become highly suspect over such a long period of time. Furthermore, Johnson did not interview a key player, Henry Wixey. By that time, Henry Wixey had no connection with the real estate business. He was still an important witness, however, because of his strong connection with the negotiations with the Mosses. For these reasons, we hold that the second HUD report was untrustworthy and should not have been admitted. We do not hold that Johnson had improper motivational problems, the fourth factor in the Advisory Committee Notes. The fact that she spoke to Perry Moss before being assigned his case does not prove that she was not a neutral public official performing her duty. But other factors stated above require the conclusion of inadmissibility.