Opinion ID: 198352
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Tape Transcripts6

Text: 32 At trial, the government called Bob, two DEA agents, a DEA drug analyst, and a Greek-language translator. The next day Ademaj filed a handwritten motion, titled Object My Trial, requesting an expert witness to translate the Greek conversations on the tapes. The motion was denied as untimely. 7 33 While Bob was on the witness stand the government offered five tape-recorded conversations, four conducted primarily in Greek and another in English. 8 Bob prepared English transcripts and Ademaj objected to their use. The court allowed the jury to review the transcripts while the tapes were played or particular witnesses were on the stand, but did not admit them into evidence. The tape transcripts were utilized by counsel in closing argument. At its request, the jury was allowed to use the transcripts during its deliberations subject to a cautionary instruction. 34 Ademaj asserts that the district court erred in allowing the transcripts to be used by counsel at trial, and the jury during its deliberations. Further, he argues that since the court refused to admit the transcripts into evidence because they had been transcribed by a government witness, they should not have been used by the jury during its deliberations. 35 Authenticated transcripts may be used by the jury to facilitate its understanding of the tape recordings themselves, see, e.g., United States v. Rengifo, 789 F.2d 975, 980 (1st Cir.1986) (citing cases), provided the court makes clear that the tapes, not the transcript, constitute evidence in the case. Id. Furthermore, should the defendant fail to offer either a sufficient objection during playback of the tape, or an alternative transcript, the district court does not abuse its discretion by authorizing use of the government's duly authenticated transcript during jury deliberations subject to an appropriate cautionary instruction. United States v. Young, 105 F.3d 1, 10 (1st Cir.1997). 36 A similar situation was before us in United States v. Font-Ramirez, 944 F.2d 42 (1st Cir.1991), where we upheld jury use of foreign-language transcripts prepared by a government informant: 37 Where inaccuracies in the transcript combine with possible bias in the transcription process, a transcript may be excluded from evidence. The touchstone, however, is the accuracy of the transcript. Because Font-Ramirez did not offer an alternative transcript and did not point out any specific inaccuracies in the government's transcript, the district court was within its discretion in allowing its use. 38 Id. at 48 (citations omitted) (emphasis added). 39 The record reflects that though Ademaj received copies of the government transcripts prior to trial, and objected to their use at trial, no specific objection was made to their accuracy, nor was an alternative transcript submitted. Moreover, the court repeatedly instructed the jury that the transcripts were not evidence. Finally, after the jury requested the transcripts during its deliberations, it received an appropriate cautionary instruction. The court did not abuse its discretion.