Opinion ID: 1188017
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Testimony in Exchange for Rewards.

Text: The fourth issue is whether the executive clemency granted to three prosecution witnesses after the defendants' trial justifies a new trial. At trial, the witnesses denied they were promised that they would be released in exchange for their testimony. However, the three witnesses were granted executive clemency shortly after the trial was over. The defense contends that the witnesses' testimony was untrue and that it is proved by drawing an inference from the fact that they were released. There is no testimony to support the allegations and all the sworn testimony is to the contrary. Colby and Stephens rely upon Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 92 S.Ct. 763, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972) and Napue v. Illinois, 360 U.S. 264, 79 S.Ct. 1173, 3 L.Ed.2d 1217 (1959) for the proposition that their constitutional rights of due process were violated by the nondisclosure of agreements made between the state and witnesses who testified against them. We disagree. In United States v. Traylor, 656 F.2d 1326 (9th Cir.1981), the defendant alleged, as here, that his constitutional rights were violated by the nondisclosure of agreements made between the government and its two witnesses. However, it was the opinion of the court that where the nature of the agreements between the government and the witnesses were adequately revealed to the jury, by questioning of the witnesses by both the government and by defense counsel during cross-examination, then the defendant's due process rights were not violated. Thus, a new trial for the defendant was not required. In this case, during the examination of each prosecution witness who was an inmate, the prosecution elicited information that because of the concern for the safety for such witnesses offering testimony, each would be assured some type of incarceration that would protect their safety. Defense attorneys had the opportunity and did cross-examine on the safety precautions which the State had promised and explored. We agree with the trial court that this claim does not support granting a new trial.