Opinion ID: 547205
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Exclusion of Cross-Examination Documents

Text: 32 Oshatz contends that the District Court improperly excluded certain documents offered during his cross-examination of Markowitz. On direct examination Markowitz testified that he had forfeited to the Government all of his possessions, including whatever money he had acquired through his affiliation with the Monetary Group. Oshatz cross-examined Markowitz about several transfers of substantial sums of money he allegedly had made to members of his family or to family-controlled businesses. When Markowitz could not recall the transfers, Oshatz sought to introduce a number of checks Markowitz had drawn on the account of the Monetary Services Corporation, an entity owned by Markowitz and his sister. In concluding that Rule 608(b) barred the admission of this extrinsic impeaching evidence, Judge Sweet rejected Oshatz's claim that the evidence was offered not to attack Markowitz's credibility but to establish that he had a motive to testify falsely on behalf of the Government--namely, to hide assets the Government would otherwise require him to forfeit. 33 On appeal, Oshatz argues that Judge Sweet excluded this evidence in the mistaken belief that he had no discretion to admit it. He claims that this ruling should be reviewed not under an abuse of discretion standard but under the plenary review appropriate for the application of an erroneous legal standard. A fair review of the record, however, reveals that Judge Sweet understood, as he said, that this issue was committed to the discretion of the trial court. In light of the wide latitude permitted Oshatz in cross-examining Markowitz and the speculative nature of the motive theory, Judge Sweet acted within his discretion in excluding the proffered evidence.