Opinion ID: 295786
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Cross-Examination of Informer Kay.

Text: 39 Aloisio asserts that the defendants' rights were denied by the limitation of the cross-examination of informer Kay in three particular instances. 40 First, the district judge sustained the Government's objection as to whether Kay was guilty of filing false income tax returns. The defense was permitted to show that there was a pending indictment against Kay with respect to filing a false income tax return, thus permitting defendant to attack his credibility. As we noted in United States v. Varelli, 407 F.2d 735, 751 (7th Cir. 1969), cross-examination on such matters is subject to a self-incrimination exception, so that the court's ruling was correct. 41 Because of Kay's Fifth Amendment rights, the district judge also properly sustained an objection as to whether Kay had transported a $100,000 bond in interstate commerce. Again counsel was permitted to demonstrate Kay's indictment for that offense as affecting his credibility. 42 In a belated attempt to show that the Government posted the informer's bond, Aloisio urges that Kay should have been permitted to say who put up his $50,000 bond. In light of the extensive examination of the witness on all other possible links with the prosecution, if still questioned, the district court's ruling that the question of the source of bond money was irrelevant was not an abuse of discretion. Moreover, Aloisio's own counsel's closing argument indicated that Kay's mother raised the money. 43 Our examination of the voluminous cross-examination of witness Kay convinces us that extremely broad latitude was allowed defense counsel. They were given great freedom in their efforts to show that Kay was a biased perjuror with obligations to the Government, and that his testimony had been bought by the Secret Service. His unsavory background was thoroughly explored by defense counsel. Kay denied that he was testifying in the present lawsuit in order to be freed of the income tax and stolen bond charges, and the jury was entitled to credit his denial. The strictures of Varelli and similar cases dealing with the scope of cross-examination were abundantly satisfied. 44