Opinion ID: 772135
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: As to Ng only:

Text: 27 Relying upon United States v. Westerdahl, 945 F.2d 1083 (9th Cir. 1991), 4 Ng raises a claim that he is entitled to an evidentiary hearing to determine whether the government intentionally distorted the fact-finding process by denying immunity to defense witnesses who might have offered relevant evidence in support of Ng's defense. We need not decide whether this case falls within the Westerdahl exception. Even if we so found, the error in this case would be harmless. 28 As the government notes, the two defense witnesses who refused to testify out of fear of prosecution were relevant only to counts one, two, and seven against Ng, and not count ten (conspiracy to launder money). In sentencing, the district court adopted the PSR's recommendations. According to the PSR, count ten produced an offense level of twenty-nine, whereas the other counts produced an offense level of twenty four. The PSR recommended sentencing based upon the higher level of twenty-nine. That is, Ng's sentencing was based upon the count ten conspiracy conviction. Since the defense witnesses were not relevant to this count, their failure to testify, whether due to the government's improper withholding of immunity or not, was harmless.
29 Ng also claims that it was error when, in closing argument, the prosecutor referred to what defendant Ng, who did not testify, would say. Claims that a prosecutor committed misconduct during summation are reviewed for plain error, when as here, trial counsel did not object. United States v. Rudberg, 122 F.3d 1199, 1206 (9th Cir. 1997). 30 Ng points to three instances during the government's closing argument in which the government allegedly alludes to Ng's failure to testify. 5 Noting that he did nottestify, Ng argues on appeal that these statements are improper allusions to the defendant's failure to testify or comments on his silence. Although defense counsel did not object at the time of trial, on appeal Ng alleges that these were Griffin violations. Griffin v. California, 380 U.S. 609 (1965). 31 The test we use to determine whether there was a Griffin violation is whether the language used was manifestly intended or was of such a character that the jury would naturally and necessarily take it to be a comment on the failure to testify. United States v. Mende, 43 F.3d 1298, 1301 (9th Cir. 1995). We have also repeatedly held that when the government refers to defendants' arguments but obviously is addressing the arguments made by defense counsel, there is no Griffin violation. United States v. Sarno, 73 F.3d 1470, 1498-99 (9th Cir. 1995); Mendes, 43 F.3d at 1301; United States v. Mares, 940 F.2d 455, 461 (9th Cir. 1991). 32 Ng's claim that the government committed Griffin violations is without merit. As to statement (1), on its face this is a statement recounting the testimony of a witness as to what the defendant had admitted to the witness. Statements (2) and (3), which use the future tense, are comments on anticipated arguments that defense counsel will make. Furthermore, even assuming arguendo that these comments were Griffin violations, they were harmless in light of their isolated context within a long closing, their failure to directly stress the defendant's choice not to testify, and the district court's careful instruction as to the burden of proof remaining on the government.
33 On direct appeal, Ng charges that his trial counsel rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel. The record is insufficiently developed to consider these claims on direct appeal. See United States v. Daly, 974 F.2d 1215, 1218 (9th Cir. 1992) (holding that ineffective assistance of counsel claims may only be raised on direct appeal when the record is sufficiently developed to permit the reviewing court to resolve the issue, or when the assistance of counsel was so blatantly ineffective that it obviously interfered with defendant's right to counsel).
34 Ng also appeals his sentence, arguing that the district court erred by not departing downward on two grounds. First, he claims the court should have departed downward because his money laundering conduct was outside the heartland of this offense. Second, he claims that the district court erred by failing to consider a downward departure based upon disparity of sentences between him and his co-conspirators. 35 We lack jurisdiction to review a district court's decision not to grant a discretionary downward departure absent evidence that the district court believed it lacked the authority to do so. United States v. Tucker, 133 F.3d 1208, 1219 (9th Cir. 1998). The district court did not indicate that it believed it lacked the authority to depart on either of these bases. Therefore, we lack jurisdiction to review the district court's discretionary refusal to depart downward.