Opinion ID: 2971590
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Affidavit Of Vanessa J. Best

Text: Robinson appeals the district court’s decision to admit the affidavit of Vanessa J. Best, the Assistant Executive Secretary of the FDIC, because he claims that it deprived him of his Sixth Amendment right to confront the witnesses against him. The applicable standard of review for an evidentiary ruling of the district court where the evidentiary issues relate to a claimed violation of the Sixth Amendment is the de novo standard. United States v. Lloyd, 10 F.3d 1197, 1216 (6th Cir. 1993) (“Because, here, the evidentiary issues relate to a claimed violation of the Sixth Amendment ... we review the district court’s rulings de novo.”). Robinson objects to the admission of the certificate because it purports to testify as to the relationship for insurance purposes of the main offices of National City Bank and its subsidiary branches. Regarding the relationship between the main offices of the National City Bank and the subsidiary branch which Robinson helped to rob on two occasions, the certificate specifically states: 2. I further certify that the attached record pertaining to the admission and history of the National City Bank of Michigan/ Illinois, Bannockburn, Illinois, is an official record of the Corporation, and is attached hereto as Exhibit “A.” 3. I further certify that the National City Bank of Michigan/ Illinois, Bannockburn, Illinois, has a branch located at 24363 Grand River No. 02-2232 United States v. Robinson Page 8 Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, acquired on December 31, 1994, as shown by entry in the official records of the Corporation, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “B.” 4. I further certify that insurance applicable to the main office of National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois is applicable to any domestic (U.S.) branch office of National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois, including its branch located at 24363 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, Michigan. J.A. 756. Robinson also asserts that Ms. Best testified as an expert witness since the certificate purports to testify as to the issue of whether the bank was an insured depository institution of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on August 5, 1999 and October 25, 1999, the dates of the robberies. Regarding the insurance status, the certificate states: 5. I further certify, that after a diligent search, no record or entry in the official records of the Corporation has been found to exist which terminated the status of National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois as an insured depository institution under the provisions of section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1818, and that National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois retained its status as an insured depository institution of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from January 1, 1934 through and including October 25, 1999. J.A. 757. The government notes that it called National City Bank Assistant Vice President Michael Kohlruss to testify to the Bank’s FDIC-insurance status. The government entered into evidence a certificate verifying the Bank’s insurance status which was dated October 31, 1998. Mr. Kohlruss testified that this certificate was in effect during the dates of the robberies. The government provided Ms. Best’s certificate as additional information regarding the Bank’s insured status after Robinson questioned Mr. Kohlruss’s first-hand knowledge on cross-examination. The government contends that the certificate fully complies with the strictures of Rules 803(10) and 902(1) of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Rule 803(10) allows hearsay evidence to prove the absence of a record, report, statement or data compilation, in any form, or the nonoccurrence or nonexistence of a matter of which a record, report, statement, or data compilation, in any form, was regularly made and preserved by a public office or agency, with evidence in the form of a certification in accordance with Rule 902 that diligent search failed to disclose the record, report, statement, or data compilation, or entry. Paragraph 5 of the certificate, quoted above, states that a diligent search failed to disclose the record. The certificate also complies with the provisions of Rule 902(1) since it is a document bearing a seal purporting to be that of the FDIC, a United States governmental entity. Thus, paragraph 5 of the certificate complies with these provisions of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Robinson also contends that Ms. Best testified as an expert because she testified as to the relationship between the main office and this subsidiary for insurance purposes. Ms. Best’s certificate merely states that the insurance certificate is applicable to both the main office and all of its branches. However, even if it was error for the district court to admit this statement, Robinson did not suffer any prejudice from such an admission. Mr. Kohlruss had already testified that the certificate was applicable to all of the branches of National City Bank for Michigan and Illinois. J.A. 264. This admission was not prejudicial since other substantially equivalent evidence of the same facts had otherwise been admitted into evidence. See Leonard v. Uniroyal, Inc., 765 F.2d 560, 567 (6th Cir. 1985) (“No error in the admission or exclusion of evidence is ground for reversal unless refusal to take such action appears to the Court to be No. 02-2232 United States v. Robinson Page 9 inconsistent with substantial justice.”). Thus, the district court did not err in admitting this certificate into evidence. Similarly, there is no need to reach the question of whether the admission of the certificate violated Robinson’s right under the Confrontation Clause, because any such error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 684 (1986); see also United States v. Askarov, 299 F.3d 896, 898 (6th Cir. 2002). As discussed above, the jury had been presented with the other testimony regarding the status of the bank as FDIC-insured. This Court therefore does not address whether a statement admitted under Fed. R. Evid. 813(10) is “testimonial” under Crawford v. Washington, – U.S. –, 124 S.Ct. 1374 (2004).