Opinion ID: 4337
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Alleged Craw fo rd Violation

Text: McTier and Russell argue that the trial testimony of FBI Agent Jed Salter violated the Confrontation Clause insofar as Agent Salter testified that he told McTier that “Juma Cain had confessed twice to the murder of Tabitha Buckman.” There was, however, no Confrontation Clause violation, as Agent Salter’s statement about Cain’s confessions was not, in fact, admitted into evidence. Counsel for McTier objected to the statement, and the District Court sustained the objection. Later, the District Court proposed a limiting instruction admonishing the jury “to disregard the testimony that June Cain confessed to the murder,” but defense counsel asked the Court not to give the instruction. Even if we ultimately concluded, however, that there was a violation of the Confrontation Clause, any error committed was harmless. See United States v. Lombardozzi, 491 F.3d 61, 76 (2d Cir. 2007) (articulating the harmless error standard). Absent the testimony of Cain’s confessions, the government’s case with respect to the Buckman homicide was very strong; the challenged testimony 1 Each defendant joins in the arguments of his co-defendants to the extent applicable pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 28(i). Accordingly, while we highlight the defendant (or defendants) who raises each particular argument herein, we have considered all arguments as to all three defendants where appropriate. In addition, in a supplemental pro se brief, defendant Stone raises a number of additional arguments, all of which we find meritless. 3 was cumulative of other properly admitted evidence; the testimony was not at all important in the context of the overall trial; and, as detailed above, the conduct of the prosecutor and the District Court with respect to Agent Salter’s testimony was entirely consistent with trying to remedy any alleged Confrontation Clause issue. Accordingly, there is no basis for reversing the judgment of conviction on this issue.