Opinion ID: 199398
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Audio Tape Recordings

Text: 25 Patrick argues that it was error to admit into evidence audio tape recordings made by government informant Monteiro of her drug transactions with IVP members, including Patrick. Patrick says the tapes did not accurately reflect what was said and that he should have been permitted to inspect the original recordings and to cross examine as to the equipment used. The net result of the exclusion of this evidence, he says, violated the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment and Rule 403, Fed. R. Evid. 26 Patrick, however, did cross examine Monteiro about the tapes and the equipment used, and his objections to the tapes at trial were more limited than those on appeal. At trial he objected on the grounds that one tape had only a one-sided conversation and that another tape had a conversation in which Patrick did not take part. 27 In any event, we ignore the issue of waiver because there was no error in admitting the tapes. Monteiro authenticated the tapes under Rule 901, Fed. R. Evid., and the tapes were relevant, corroborating Monteiro's testimony. Further, Patrick was given funds to pay for an analysis of at least one tape, a tape on which Patrick quoted Monteiro the price for an ounce of crack. The court rejected the conclusion of Patrick's expert that something had been added to the tapes, finding the expert unqualified and his conclusion unsupported. The trial judge's determination that the original tape would be best preserved for trial use by not turning it over to Patrick was very reasonable. 5 28