Opinion ID: 373460
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Restrictive Examination of Informer

Text: 18 Appellant next maintains that the trial court erred in limiting his examination on two related matters: (1) the former employment of the informant, Gonzalez, and (2) the fees Gonzalez received for his work. In support of this claim, appellant cites numerous examples of the district court's restrictive posture and argues that, as a result, his sixth amendment right of confrontation was denied. 8 19 The defense called Gonzalez to the stand, but The credibility of a witness may be attacked by any party, including the party calling him. Fed.R.Evid. 607. During the examination of Gonzalez, appellant's line of questioning repeatedly centered around the informant's former employment. The purpose of this thorough inquiry was two-fold: (1) to place the informer in his respective community, and (2) to use his prior inconsistent statements for impeachment purposes. While appellant argues otherwise, he was afforded ample opportunity to accomplish both objectives. 20 Several rulings by the district court incidentally limited appellant's examination of Gonzalez. These rulings, however, viewed as a whole, do not violate sixth amendment standards. The scope of a hostile witness' examination is a matter within the trial court's sound discretion, and error is predicated only upon abuse of that discretion. Smith v. Illinois, 390 U.S. 129, 132-33, 88 S.Ct. 748, 750-51, 19 L.Ed.2d 956 (1968); United States v. Markham, 537 F.2d 187, 196 (5th Cir. 1976). Concluding that no abuse of discretion was shown, we are convinced that the essence of the desired evidence was sufficiently before the jury. See United States v. Sanfilippo, 581 F.2d 1152, 1155 (5th Cir. 1978). 21 Similarly, the district court's decision to limit the evidence of fees paid to Gonzalez was not erroneous. The court allowed evidence of payments made by the government with respect to the Elorduy case, but refused to admit evidence of any amounts paid in other cases. While we are mindful of the Sixth Circuit's rule that permits evidence of previous payments, United States v. Leja, 568 F.2d 493 (6th Cir. 1977), we see no need to expand this circuit's position. The court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to allow evidence of the previous payments. See United States v. Bower, 575 F.2d 499, 503 (5th Cir.), Cert. denied, 439 U.S. 983, 99 S.Ct. 572, 58 L.Ed.2d 654 (1978). See generally United States v. Webster, 606 F.2d 581, 585 (5th Cir., 1979).