Opinion ID: 725046
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Garcia's Request for Rebuttal Closing Argument

Text: 24 At the time of jury selection, Garcia moved for the opportunity to make a rebuttal closing argument. The district court denied this request prior to the start of trial. Garcia argued below, and again argues here, that the only disputed issue in the case was his sanity at the time of the offense; that he had the burden of proof on this issue; that therefore he should have been afforded the opportunity to deliver a rebuttal closing argument; and that failure to afford him such an opportunity violated his Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial. 4 This issue is another one of first impression in this circuit, but one that is easily resolved in the government's favor. 25 Rule 29.1 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which governs closing arguments in criminal cases, provides: After the closing of evidence the prosecution shall open the argument. The defense shall be permitted to reply. The prosecution shall then be permitted to reply in rebuttal. The advisory committee notes to Rule 29.1 state the purpose of the rule in pertinent part as follows: The rule is drafted in the view that fair and effective administration of justice is best served if the defendant knows the arguments actually made by the prosecution in behalf of conviction before the defendant is faced with the decision whether to reply and what to reply. 26 As is evident from their language, Rule 29.1 and the accompanying advisory committee notes argue strongly against the position Garcia urges us to adopt. Indeed, at least one of our sister circuits has rejected the argument that a criminal defendant raising insanity as a defense is entitled to rebuttal closing argument. In United States v. Byrd, 834 F.2d 145, 147 (8th Cir.1987), the Eighth Circuit stated: 27 Rule 29.1 does not establish a constitutional doctrine, but rather, provides a uniform rule of federal practice. The purpose of the rule is to give the defendant the chance to respond to the government's case and argument in an informed manner. Rebuttal provides the government with the opportunity to respond to defendant's arguments. It does not allow the government to bring in new matters. Consequently, the order of argument works no injustice upon the defendant. The district court has broad discretion to ensure a fair procedure in final arguments. 28 (citations omitted). We join our sister circuit and reject Garcia's argument with respect to the order of closing arguments. 29 First, this case is not a single issue case. In order to obtain a conviction, the government was required to prove all three elements of the crime charged. Garcia only stipulated to one of the elements--that he was a convicted felon. The government still had to prove at trial that Garcia knowingly possessed a firearm and that the firearm had travelled in interstate commerce. See 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). On appeal, Garcia still contests the last element. 30 Second, even though a defendant may raise an insanity defense and may be required to carry the burden of proof on that issue, at all times during a criminal trial, the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt--the highest burden that exists in our judicial system--remains with the prosecution. It is therefore quite appropriate that the prosecution have the opportunity to rebut the defendant's arguments, not the other way around. 31 Third, at the time of the IDRA's enactment, and during the period of more than a decade that has passed since, Congress could have provided that a defendant asserting an insanity defense under the IDRA be afforded rebuttal closing argument had Congress deemed it appropriate to do so. It did not and we decline to read into the unambiguous language of Rule 29.1 such a provision. 32 By the foregoing, we do not mean to convey to the district courts of this circuit that defense rebuttal is in every instance impermissible. Rather, the issue properly is left to the sound discretion of the district court to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Cf. United States v. Cardascia, 951 F.2d 474, 485 (2d Cir.1991) (upholding trial judge's grant of defense rebuttal on the ground that the trial judge has discretion over this issue as part of his obligation ... to ensure a fair and orderly procedure in the closing arguments to the jury).