Opinion ID: 566845
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Poindexter's Appeal

Text: 44 The district court has discretionary control over opening statements, including the power to exclude irrelevant matters. United States v. Zielie, 734 F.2d 1447, 1455 (11th Cir.1984), cert. denied sub nom., Gustafson v. United States, 469 U.S. 1189, 105 S.Ct. 957, 83 L.Ed.2d 964 (1985). Poindexter argues that the district court abused its discretion by ruling that counsel could not claim, with respect to the alleged violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), that Poindexter used the gun in self-defense. 45 As we have said, section 924(c) prescribes a mandatory five year term of imprisonment for anyone who during and in relation to any crime of violence or drug trafficking crime ... uses or carries a firearm. It is indisputable that in shooting Officer Vaughn, Poindexter used a gun to protect his home in which he had previously sold and was currently storing drugs. 46 If the firearm is within the possession or control of a person who commits an underlying crime as defined by the statute, and the circumstances of the case show that the firearm facilitated or had a role in the crime, such as emboldening an actor who had the opportunity or ability to display or discharge the weapon to protect himself or intimidate others, whether or not such display or discharge occurred, then there is a violation of the statute. 47 United States v. Stewart, 779 F.2d 538, 540 (9th Cir.1985) (emphasis added), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 867, 108 S.Ct. 192, 98 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987). Because self-defense is irrelevant to a section 924(c) violation, the district court did not abuse its discretion in preventing Poindexter's counsel from claiming self-defense.
Federal Rule of Evidence 403 provides: 48 Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. 49 The decision to exclude otherwise relevant evidence under Fed.R.Evid. 403 is ordinarily within the sound discretion of the trial court. United States v. Ramirez, 871 F.2d 582, 584 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 127, 107 L.Ed.2d 88 (1989). This decision, based on the exercise of judgment in the context of the entire trial, ordinarily should not be overruled on appeal except for an abuse of discretion. Id.; United States v. Stull, 743 F.2d 439, 445 (6th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 470 U.S. 1062, 105 S.Ct. 1779, 84 L.Ed.2d 838 (1985). 50
Cross-Examination of Sellers Regarding Prior Drug Use 51 Poindexter contends that the district court erred by prohibiting cross-examination concerning inconsistencies between Sellers' trial testimony regarding prior drug use and her testimony at a prior hearing. The court refused to allow this cross-examination because it was confusing and misleading, and the statements were not inconsistent. Although the cross-examination was conducted by counsel for codefendant Day, Poindexter's counsel joined in the objection to the ruling and thus Poindexter has standing to challenge this ruling on appeal. 52 On cross-examination, Sellers told counsel for Day that she had previously used drugs. Day's counsel then asked whether she recalled Poindexter's counsel asking her if she had used drugs. She responded: 53 A. No, I remember him accusing me. You can recall his statement. 54 Q. Do you recall [Poindexter's counsel] asking you while you were under oath: 55 QUESTION: Do you have trouble recalling because you used drugs yourself? 56 And answering: No, I don't. 57 QUESTION: You don't recall using drugs at all? 58 ANSWER: No, I don't. 59 Once again addressing the witness, Day's counsel then asked, So, if those questions and answers I just read you were accurate, you didn't tell the truth, did you? The prosecutor objected that [w]hat he has asked her there is not what he's asking about here, her ability to recall. The court agreed. Then, with the jury excused, the court reviewed the prior testimony to which counsel had referred. At the prior hearing, Sellers testified that she could not recall days or what was going on those days. Counsel then asked if there was any reason she had trouble recalling. The questions from the prior hearing quoted at trial, when read in context, ask Sellers whether her trouble recalling dates was related to drug use, not whether she recalled using drugs. We do not believe that the district court abused its discretion in finding that Sellers' prior testimony, that drug use did not affect her memory, was not inconsistent with her statement at trial that she had used drugs, or in holding that the discussion of drug use in the two statements would confuse the jury. 60
Cross-Examination of Sellers Regarding Amount of Cocaine Purchased 61 Sellers testified on cross-examination that she purchased an eight ball of cocaine from Poindexter. She further testified that she did not know how much cocaine was in an eight ball but that the cocaine she purchased cost her $250. She testified that she gave the full amount of her purchase to the police. Later in the trial, defense counsel asked Officer Balee if an eight ball contained an eighth of an ounce of cocaine. The officer testified that he believed so. The prosecution objected when defense counsel asked the officer to convert that weight into grams. Defense counsel argued that the weights were relevant to Sellers' credibility as she had testified that she bought an eight ball of cocaine, the equivalent of 3.5 grams, but had turned over only .8 grams to the police. The court sustained the objection to testimony regarding the weight of the cocaine on relevancy grounds as Sellers had not testified that she knew how much an eight ball weighed. Poindexter now argues that this evidence should have been admitted to show Sellers' bias and lack of credibility. 62 Although the scope of cross-examination is within the discretion of the trial court, the court should accord the defendant wide latitude for cross-examination to establish bias or prejudice, Abeyta v. United States, 368 F.2d 544, 545 (10th Cir.1966), and, generally, to challenge credibility, United States v. Uramoto, 638 F.2d 84, 87 (9th Cir.1980). 63 Although the proposed cross-examination might logically have been admitted as relevant to Sellers' credibility, we do not think the court's decision to exclude it was an abuse of discretion. The inference suggested by Poindexter--that the police allowed Sellers to retain and use a portion of the amount purchased--had, at best, only tenuous relevancy to show bias. Moreover, the convoluted mathematical conversion of ounces to grams, coupled with the absence of evidence of what the amount purchased by Sellers actually weighed, was substantially more likely to confuse the jurors than enlighten them concerning the desired inference. See Fed.R.Evid. 403. 64
Cross-Examination Regarding Knock 65 and Announce Requirements 66 On cross-examination, defense counsel asked Officer Hampton whether the law requires officers to knock and announce themselves when executing a search warrant. The prosecution objected to any inquiry about the technical aspects of the search warrant. The court sustained the objection as it had already ruled at the pretrial hearing that the police had knocked as required by law, so that this was not an issue for the jury to decide at trial. 67 Poindexter contends that showing the officers' motive not to knock for fear of losing evidence is relevant to establish that they entered suddenly and violently and that Poindexter used the firearm in self-defense, not in connection with a drug-trafficking crime. Self-defense, however, is not relevant in determining whether a defendant used or carried a firearm under section 924(c). Use and carry have been broadly construed to cover the present situation; ready access to a firearm in a place where drug trafficking occurs. See U.S. v. Acosta-Cazares, 878 F.2d 945, 952 (6th Cir.1989). Thus, the district court did not abuse its discretion in prohibiting cross-examination. The requirements of the warrant which had already been determined at the pretrial hearing and the incentives of police to ignore these requirements as self-defense was irrelevant to the issues in this case.
68 of Poindexter's Statement 69 Officer Hampton testified that two Sky Pager beepers were found during the execution of the search warrant and that Poindexter admitted owning one of them. Defense counsel objected to the testimony on the ground that Poindexter's statement had not been furnished to counsel during discovery. The court sustained the objection and told the jury to disregard the testimony. Poindexter's counsel then objected to the court explaining its ruling to the jury. Defense counsel believed that the court's explanation implies it's a true statement but for technical reasons we're not going to let it in. 70 A trial judge may ask questions and give comments upon the evidence, as he is not a mere moderator, but is in control of the trial to insure its proper conduct, so long as the comments and questions are fair and not designed to mislead. United States v. Wade, 364 F.2d 931, 935 (6th Cir.1966). In commenting upon the evidence, the judge does not commit error simply by making a comment that may be favorable to one side. The right of the trial judge to comment on the evidence necessarily includes the right to comment unfavorably, so long as [the] comment does not become advocacy and it is made clear to the jury that irrespective of such comment the ultimate determination of the facts is left to the jury. United States v. Hawkins, 295 F.2d 837, 840 (6th Cir.1961). As the judge's instruction accurately reflected the law and did not limit the jury's role as fact finder, the court did not err in giving its instruction. United States v. Goble, 512 F.2d 458 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 914, 96 S.Ct. 221, 46 L.Ed.2d 143 (1975).
71 Like Day, Poindexter claims that the district court abused its discretion in refusing to allow argument concerning the prosecution's failure to identify whose fingerprints, if any, were found on the shaving cream can in which the cocaine was found. The ruling Poindexter challenges was made during codefendant Day's closing argument. However, we believe Poindexter has standing to assert this challenge. Day's counsel gave the first closing argument because Day's name was listed first on the indictment. When the court stated it would not allow Day's counsel to argue the lack of fingerprint evidence in his closing argument, Poindexter's counsel joined in a bench conference and informed the court that he too had planned to make the same argument. Because the trial court ruled that neither defense counsel would be permitted to make this argument, Poindexter has standing to challenge the court's ruling. 72 We have previously discussed the district court's ruling on this matter. We found in Day's appeal that the court's ruling and its comments, presumably in the jurors' hearing, criticizing defense counsel's lack of ethics were errors that denied Day a fair trial. However, the evidence against Poindexter was very strong. Belinda Sellers testified that she made a controlled purchase of cocaine from Poindexter. Cocaine and guns were found in his home, and the officers present at the time of arrest all testified that Poindexter shot Officer Vaughn. Thus, the court's refusal to permit argument on the lack of fingerprint evidence and its criticism of Day's counsel does not warrant reversing Poindexter's convictions.