Opinion ID: 778180
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Limitation on Cross-Examination of Hamilton

Text: 15 Much of the evidence as to the internal workings of the Beach 26th Street drug operation was provided through the testimony of Hamilton, who had been a leader of the conspiracy from approximately 1992 until at least late 1997. Hamilton, inter alia, identified numerous members of the conspiracy in addition to the present defendants, described their roles at various points in the conspiracy, gave estimates as to the quantities of narcotics sold and the respective incomes produced by his and Bruce's branches of the operation, and recounted his and his coconspirators' gun purchases from Johnson. Defendants contend that their right to confront Hamilton was infringed when the trial court refused to allow them to inquire about Hamilton's involvement in the murder of one Roland Evans. We disagree. 16 The trial court has wide discretion to impose limitations on the cross-examination of witnesses. See, e.g., Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 679, 106 S.Ct. 1431, 89 L.Ed.2d 674 (1986); United States v. Griffith, 284 F.3d 338, 352 (2d Cir.2002). Under Federal Rule of Evidence 608(b), the district court may restrict cross-examination about specific instances of prior conduct if it finds that the conduct is not probative of truthfulness. Further, under Rule 403, the district court may exclude even relevant evidence if it finds that the probative value [of the testimony] 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. Fed.R.Evid. 403. Even where the court has inappropriately excluded evidence under Rule 608(b), reversal is not required if `the jury was already in possession of sufficient information to make a discriminating appraisal of the particular witness's possible motives for testifying falsely in favor of the government.' United States v. Tillem, 906 F.2d 814, 827-28 (2d Cir.1990) (quoting United States v. Singh, 628 F.2d 758, 763 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1034, 101 S.Ct. 609, 66 L.Ed.2d 496 (1980)). 17 In the present case, the trial court determined both that the Evans murder was not relevant to Hamilton's credibility and that there was ample other material through which defendants could test his credibility and expose any bias. We see no error or abuse of discretion in this ruling. Murder generally is not a crime of dishonesty, and nothing about the Evans murder suggested that it would in any way reflect on Hamilton's truthfulness. Further, the record supports the court's finding that there was abundant other information available for the cross-examination of Hamilton, and indeed, defendants questioned him extensively with respect to his numerous false statements to law enforcement officers and the numerous acts of criminal conduct that he had admitted in connection with his cooperation agreement with the government. The latter included his leadership of the Beach 26th Street drug conspiracy, his violent armed robberies of other drug dealers, his efforts to cover up his prior crimes, and his participation in another murder. In sum, there was ample grist for cross-examination, and the exclusion of evidence as to Hamilton's participation in the murder of Evans provides no basis for reversal. 18