Opinion ID: 796002
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Alleged Discovery Violation

Text: 17 McCourt argues that the Government violated Fed.R.Crim.P. 16 by failing to disclose in a timely fashion changes in the opinion of its expert witness. Specifically, McCourt argues that the Government should have disclosed mistakes in Jacobson's report regarding: (1) the computer's time-stamps; and (2) the method of calculating the number of files downloaded onto McCourt's computer. The thrust of McCourt's argument is that because the mistakes were not revealed until the direct and cross-examination of Jacobson, he was denied the opportunity to address these errors both in opening statement and in the cross-examinations of the witnesses that preceded the expert. 18 Because McCourt did not object in the district court, our review is for plain error. United States v. Littrell, 439 F.3d 875, 881 (8th Cir.2006). We will reverse under plain error review only if the error prejudices the party's substantial rights and would result in a miscarriage of justice if left uncorrected. Id. at 881-82. In most cases, for an error to affect substantial rights it must affect the outcome of the proceedings. United States v. Davis, 452 F.3d 991, 994 (8th Cir.2006). 19 We believe McCourt's substantial rights were not violated. Assuming that there was a Rule 16 violation, McCourt was not prejudiced because his expert, Schnack, had all the raw data on which Jacobson relied; Schnack discovered the calculation mistake before trial; the Government did not rely on either mistake in its case-in-chief; both mistakes were conceded by Jacobson on direct or elicited by McCourt on cross; McCourt exploited both mistakes in closing argument; and—most importantly—the mistakes were immaterial. The time-stamp mistake arguably revealed that three files on McCourt's computer were downloaded while he was at work, thereby supporting his claim that someone else put the files on his computer without his knowledge. In light of the remaining 300-plus videos and images uploaded during times for which McCourt asserted no alibi, we find it hard to say that McCourt was prejudiced by the Government's failure to disclose Jacobson's mistake, especially where the mistake was uncovered by McCourt's expert and its consequences argued to the jury by McCourt's counsel. Likewise, we are unable to discern the prejudice resulting from the untimely disclosure that Jacobson ultimately agreed with Schnack's method of estimating that over 24,000 files were downloaded using the peer-to-peer programs. In sum, we see nothing that affected McCourt's substantial rights, and in light of the strong evidence admitted against him we cannot say that this alleged error affected the outcome of the trial. 20