Opinion ID: 506169
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Strickland's Payment of Attorneys' Fees for Nicholls

Text: 98 Black, joined by Burns, claims that the trial court erred by refusing to allow re-cross examination of Strickland concerning Black's payment of attorneys' fees to defend one Richard Nicholls, the brother of a co-conspirator, against drug charges. During cross-examination of Strickland by Burns' counsel, Strickland revealed that Black paid a law firm $3800 to represent Nicholls in a pending criminal case. Tr. 672-73. Following re-direct examination of Strickland by the government, the trial court refused to allow Black's trial counsel to question him regarding the payment, stating that the matter could have been brought out by defendants' counsel on cross-examination. Tr. 1663-65. 99 The trial court's explanation for the limit is plainly correct. It was during cross by Strickland's first cross-examiner (Burns' lawyer) that Strickland made the statement now claimed to be so important. But neither Burns' nor Black's lawyer sought to dig deeper into the area. In neither case was there any intimation from the court that the subject was off limits. As defendants' counsel had ample opportunity to delve into the payment on cross-examination, the trial court was entirely within its discretion in refusing to allow re-cross on the subject. 7 See FED.R.EVID. 611. 100