Opinion ID: 757025
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Comments Regarding Meeting

Text: 163 Abouhalima also claims that Judge Duffy's questions and comments during Igiri's cross-examination were improper and demonstrated bias in favor of the government. Because no defendant objected to Judge Duffy's questions and comments, this claim is barred absent plain error. See Olano, 507 U.S. at 735, 113 S.Ct. 1770. However, even if there were a proper objection, Abouhalima's claim would lack merit because the court properly exercised its discretion. 164 Reversal for judicial bias is appropriate only where an examination of the entire record demonstrates that the jurors have been impressed with the trial judge's partiality to one side to the point that this became a factor in the determination of the jury. United States v. Valenti, 60 F.3d 941, 946 (2d Cir.1995) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). The trial court's questioning did not demonstrate bias because Salameh's counsel specifically asked Judge Duffy to question Igiri to facilitate cross-examination. The judge simply complied with this request. 165 Furthermore, although Abouhalima claims that the court's comments neutraliz[ed] the witness Igiri's lie about his mid-testimony meeting with the prosecutor, this claim is not supported by the record. Abouhalima asserts that Judge Duffy's comments to Igiri condoned the lie that Igiri told about meeting with the government. To the contrary, Judge Duffy simply explained to Igiri that it is not improper for a prosecutor to meet with a government witness regarding the witness's testimony. This comment cannot be construed as a condonation of Igiri's lie. The jury heard Igiri's lie and subsequent recantation and could be relied upon to factor this episode into its verdict. 166