Opinion ID: 462493
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cross-Examination of Agent Potkonjak with Telex

Text: 142 The contact agent for Cobb and Pistone was Special Agent Michael Potkonjak, who from time to time sent telex reports to Washington with recent news from the investigation. Potkonjak testified that he prepared and sent a telex based on information reported to him by Cobb and Pistone covering the three-day weekend at the end of August 1978 that culminated in the Peppercorn conversation. 143 The defense learned of the existence of the telex before trial and sought its disclosure. On order of the court, the government produced a portion of it and submitted the entire telex to the court, where it was put under seal. It has not since been unsealed. 144 In the cross-examination of Cobb the defense sought to suggest that Cobb had fabricated the Peppercorn conversation. To rebut this suggestion, the government offered Potkonjak's testimony and the previously disclosed portion of the telex. The court permitted counsel for DiSalvo and Balistrieri to review the entire telex but would not permit counsel for DiSalvo to cross-examine Potkonjak on the undisclosed portion. DiSalvo's counsel in this appeal, who was not his trial counsel and has not seen the full telex, contends that DiSalvo's confrontation rights may have been abridged under the principles of United States v. De Gudino, 722 F.2d 1351, 1354 (7th Cir.1983), and Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, 315-16, 94 S.Ct. 1105, 1109-10, 39 L.Ed.2d 347 (1974). He seeks the entry of an order unsealing the full text of the telex and permitting supplemental briefing. 145 We have examined the full text of the telex and have concluded that unsealing and supplemental briefing are unnecessary. 31 We agree with the district court that the highly sensitive nature of the hitherto undisclosed information contained in the telex justifies keeping it under seal. The undisclosed information concerns matters as to which Potkonjak did not testify on direct examination and which do not pertain to the charges in this case. Those matters are thus beyond the scope of cross-examination. Fed.R.Evid. 611(b). To the extent that the district court has discretion to permit inquiry into additional matters, we hold that the court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to allow cross-examination on the undisclosed portion of the telex. The motion to unseal is denied.