Opinion ID: 689216
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Prosecutor's Representations to the Court and Jury

Text: 13 During cross-examination of Agent Ostis, defense counsel attempted to lay the seeds for Alzate's explanation of the statement about $8,000. He wanted to do so by proving through Agent Ostis himself that there had been another box of cocaine nearby, unrelated to Alzate, and that the two of them had talked about it during the interview. Defense counsel asked Agent Ostis: 14 Q. Now, on the day in question when you were interviewing Jorge Alzate, there was another arrest made, wasn't there? 15 A. I don't recall, to be honest. 16 Q. An individual who came through the airport with a box containing sixteen kilos of cocaine? 17 Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Richard Boscovich, who was the prosecutor, objected to the question on relevance grounds, and his objection was sustained. Agent Ostis was not allowed to testify whether he remembered having seen an unrelated box of cocaine in the interview room while he was questioning Alzate. 18 During Alzate's testimony in his own behalf, the defense tried again to tell the jury about the box of cocaine in the room. In discussing the statement he had made to Agent Ostis about the $8,000 figure, Alzate remembered the statement differently than Agent Ostis did. Alzate testified: [t]he part where he says that he doesn't remember he must remember, because he himself in my presence opened the box that contained sixteen kilos of cocaine. AUSA Boscovich objected on relevance grounds, and the court sustained the objection. Defense counsel then asked Alzate if he had told Agent Ostis that he received $8,000 for transporting the cocaine, and Alzate testified he had not. Alzate explained to the jury that he and Agent Ostis were having trouble communicating because of the language problem, and that he showed me this box with the sixteen kilos and he asked me how a person could .... 1 Before Alzate could complete that answer, Boscovich interrupted with an objection, and the court called the attorneys to a side bar conference. 19 In the side bar conference, defense counsel told the court Alzate would testify that Ostis asked him how much would each pound of these things--or he asked him a question with reference to that box of kilos--I mean of cocaine, and his response was I don't know, maybe $8,000. Boscovich stated, I have an extremely serious problem with his testimony. There was no other seizure that day. What he is doing on that stand, he is fabricating testimony that he said $8,000 because the agent asked him a question as to how much a kilo is. The judge warned defense counsel that Alzate was doing this at his own peril, and suggested that the government present rebuttal to disprove the testimony. Boscovich assured the judge that he would put Agent Ostis back on the stand in rebuttal to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was no other bust that day. After Boscovich's representation and the court's warning based upon it, defense counsel did not ask Alzate any further questions regarding the interview with Agent Ostis or the box. 20 During his cross-examination, Boscovich questioned Alzate about the statement regarding the $8,000 payment, and about the box:Q. You also testified that Agent Ostis showed you a box, what you characterize as sixteen kilograms of cocaine. 21 A. I didn't say that either. 22 Q. You didn't say that on direct examination? 23 A. No. 24 Q. But you did say something about that there was a box right in front of you on the table and that the agent asked you questions concerning the box. 25 A. Yes, I said that he showed me a box with sixteen pounds, not sixteen kilos. 26 Q. And you testified that he asked you what would be the price of sixteen pounds of cocaine; is that what your testimony was on direct? 27 A. No, I never said that either. 28 Q. You didn't say that on direct examination either? A. No. 2 29 Q. And you also didn't testify in direct examination that he asked you, at least you thought he asked you what would be the price of this and you responded $8,000. Wasn't that your testimony on direct? 3 30 A. Yes, that's true, but not sixteen pounds. 31 Q. But you remember now that your testimony was that he asked you something concerning the price of the cocaine. 32 A. Yes. 33 Q. But the truth of the matter is that there was no box, sixteen pounds or otherwise, before you when you were being interviewed, isn't that a fact? 34 A. No, it's a lie. He was taking pictures of that suitcase and right next to it there was a cardboard box about this size and it was tied with a string. 35 Q. The fact is you were the only person that was arrested or the only seizure that day at the airport. There were no other pieces or articles of luggage in the seizure room. 36 A. Not inside the room but outside the room, yes. 37 Q. Okay. So now the box is outside the room. Is that your testimony now? 38 A. I never said that the box was outside the room. I said that the box was right next to this suitcase. What I'm saying is that there was another person outside. That's what I'm being asked about. 39 After Alzate's testimony ended, the defense presented its other two witnesses, and court recessed for the evening. 40