Opinion ID: 607860
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sequestering the Maleks' Expert Witness

Text: 7 To show the absence of arson, the Maleks presented the testimony of Thomas Curley, a taxi driver on duty in the vicinity at the time of the fire. Curley claimed that the color of smoke from the fire was white. The color of the smoke was relevant because black smoke indicates the presence of accelerants, which are often used by arsonists, while white smoke indicates the absence of accelerants. 8 To refute this testimony and to establish arson as the cause of the fire, the defendants called a fire expert, David Redsicker. The Maleks sought permission from the court to have their fire expert, Fire Chief George Friedell, present in the courtroom during Redsicker's testimony in order to aid their counsel in cross examining Redsicker. The district court denied the Maleks' request and ordered all witnesses to leave the courtroom. 9 Redsicker testified that the fire was caused by arson. Although a laboratory analysis of debris found no accelerants present, Redsicker asserted that either water from fire fighting could have washed accelerants away or accelerants could have burned off due to the intensity of the fire. After returning to the courtroom, Friedell testified that accelerants could not be washed away and that, despite the intensity of the fire, small, solid particles would remain. The Maleks also disputed whether Redsicker conducted a proper inspection of the scene after the fire. The Maleks contended that Redsicker failed to overhaul, or to sift through, all of the debris and failed to look for evidence such as candles or other evidence of cult activities. 10 Redsicker introduced several photographs taken at the scene of the fire. The photographs showed that copper wiring, but not hollow copper tubing, had melted. Redsicker testified that the fire was very intense, a conclusion reached during his trial testimony but not explicitly stated in his reports provided to the Maleks prior to trial. This portion of his testimony was relevant because the melting of the copper wire indicated arson. However, Redsicker's theory did not explain why the hollow copper tubing failed to melt despite the intensity of the fire. Friedell's absence from the courtroom precluded him from informing the Maleks' counsel of this inconsistency. Counsel for the Maleks failed to cross examine Redsicker about why the copper tubing had not melted. 11