Opinion ID: 3052548
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Review Under the Plain Error Standard

Text: Testimony “Under our adversary system, once a defendant has the assistance of counsel the vast array of trial decisions, strategic and tactical, which must be made before and during trial rests with the accused and his attorney. Any other approach would rewrite the duties of trial judges and counsel in our legal sys- tem.” Estelle v. Williams, 425 U.S. 501, 512 (1976) (noting that some prisoners wish to wear prison clothes as a defense tactic designed to elicit sympathy from the jury). In this case, Ramirez’s counsel chose not to object to the questioning. Ramirez’s counsel’s failure to object could have been part of a legitimate defense strategy. Had Ramirez’s counsel asked Ramirez why he thought the other witnesses were lying, the prosecutor could have successfully objected because the question called for speculation. Thus, the only way Ramirez’s counsel could get the answer admitted into evidence, if it was useful to the defense, was by not objecting when the prosecutor asked Ramirez why he thought the other witnesses were lying. Regardless of whether Ramirez’s counsel chose not to object for a strategic reason or because of an ignorance of the law, Ramirez is bound by the decision of his counsel not to object. See Garrison v. McCarthy, 653 F.2d 374, 378 (9th Cir. 1981). [10] The district court had no duty to object sua sponte to the prosecutor’s questions or to Ramirez’s testimony when Ramirez’s counsel elected not to do so. The district court appropriately declined to question Ramirez’s counsel’s trial strategy. See United States v. Mitchell, 502 F.3d 931, 968 (9th Cir. 2007) (holding that testimony was “not so plainly inflammatory that it should have been excluded sua sponte”). The district court could have perceived, for example, that counsel wanted Ramirez’s testimony about the veracity of other wit10246 UNITED STATES v. RAMIREZ nesses properly admitted as evidence. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion by allowing Ramirez’s opinion testimony to be admitted into evidence. See United States v. Mendoza-Paz, 286 F.3d 1104, 1113 (9th Cir. 2002). [11] Lastly, the district court’s failure to exclude Ramirez’s testimony was also not plain error. See United States v. Wagner, 834 F.2d 1474, 1483 (9th Cir. 1987); United States v. Licavoli, 604 F.2d 613, 623 (9th Cir. 1979).
[12] Ramirez also has not demonstrated that he was prejudiced by the admission of his testimony, regarding the veracity of other witnesses, in response to the prosecutor’s improper questions. See Olano, 507 U.S. at 734. Ramirez cannot demonstrate that he was prejudiced because there was other, overwhelming evidence of his guilt. See Weygandt v. Ducharme, 774 F.2d 1491, 1493 (9th Cir. 1985) (noting that “[a]lthough [the defendant’s] attorney should have objected to the prosecutor’s improper remarks, his failure to do so, evaluated in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt presented at trial, did not so prejudice [the defendant] as to deprive him of a fair trial.”); Mitchell, 502 F.3d at 968 (holding that “in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt” it could not “possibly have been plain error, in the absence of a motion to strike,” for the district court to allow the testimony). The government presented direct evidence of Ramirez’s guilt, which was corroborated by circumstantial evidence, physical evidence, and motive. Ramirez testified that he was armed when he went to the Valenzuela home and that he knew that Teresa’s father and brother would not be there. Dolores had recently threatened to pursue criminal charges against Ramirez. Teresa had recently ended a relationship with Ramirez. After Ramirez arrived at the home, Dolores and Teresa were stabbed approximately 45 times by Ramirez. The treating trauma surgeon and a forensic pathologist both UNITED STATES v. RAMIREZ 10247 confirmed that the stab wounds suffered by Dolores and Teresa were defensive wounds, consistent with their account of the attack. [13] Thus, in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt introduced at trial, the admission of Ramirez’s testimony regarding the veracity of other witnesses was not plain error. The district court was in the best position to determine that Ramirez’s testimony was neither unduly inflammatory nor prejudicial. See United States v. Layton, 767 F.2d 549, 554 (9th Cir. 1985); Mitchell v. United States, 213 F.2d 951, 956 (9th Cir. 1954). Ramirez has not met his burden of showing that he was prejudiced by the admission of his testimony regarding the veracity of other witnesses. Ramirez was not denied the right to a fair trial.