Opinion ID: 1801800
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Limitations on Cross-examination of DeSoto

Text: During defendant's cross-examination of DeSoto, defense counsel asked DeSoto whether he had asked to be placed in protective custody in prior cases in order to demonstrate that DeSoto had acted as an informant in those prior cases. The trial court permitted defense counsel to ask DeSoto whether he had sought protective custody in this case, but not as to an earlier period of time, and sustained relevancy objections to those questions. Defendant maintains this was error because the question was relevant to whether DeSoto was testifying in hope of receiving benefits from the prosecutor. Not so. Whether DeSoto sought to be placed in protective custody in other cases at earlier times was not relevant to whether he had received any benefits in connection with his testimony in this case. The trial court did not abuse its considerable discretion in sustaining the objection.