Opinion ID: 752787
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether In-Chambers Conference was a Critical Stage

Text: 23 Townsend raises for the first time on appeal that the district court erred in conducting an in-chambers conference regarding Hullaby testifying without Townsend's presence. This court reviews the record for plain error when a defendant raises an issue on appeal that was not raised before the district court. United States v. Sherman, 821 F.2d 1337, 1338 (9th Cir.1987). Plain error will only be found if the error was a highly prejudicial error affecting substantial rights. Id. at 1339 (quoting United States v. Bustillo, 789 F.2d 1364, 1367 (9th Cir.1986)). 24 Townsend argues that the pre-trial, in-chambers conference occurred at a critical stage of the proceeding, requiring his presence. A defendant's right to be present is based on several constitutional sources including the Fifth and Sixth Amendments. Polizzi v. United States, 550 F.2d 1133, 1137 (9th Cir.1976). This right to be present is not absolute. Id. The right to be present exists only where the defendant's  'presence has a relation, reasonably substantial, to the fulness [sic] of his opportunity to defend against the charge. ' Rice v. Wood, 77 F.3d 1138, 1140 n. 2 (9th Cir.1996) (quoting Kentucky v. Stiner, 482 U.S. 730, 745, 107 S.Ct. 2658, 96 L.Ed.2d 631 (1987)). Townsend argues that his presence would have allowed the district court to probe the extent to Hullaby's Fifth Amendment privilege and so his presence would not be useless . See id. 25 Moreover, Townsend argues his absence from the conference constitutes structural error requiring automatic reversal because Townsend had the ability to affect the proceeding. See id. at 1141. The Supreme Court has stated that structural errors are the exception and not the rule. Rose v. Clark, 478 U.S. 570, 578, 106 S.Ct. 3101, 92 L.Ed.2d 460 (1986). Accordingly, if the defendant had counsel and was tried by an impartial adjudicator, there is a strong presumption that any other errors that may have occurred are subject to harmless-error analysis. Id. at 579. Structural errors are errors that permeate the entire conduct of the trial from beginning to end. Arizona v. Fulminante, 499 U.S. 279, 309, 111 S.Ct. 1246, 113 L.Ed.2d 302 (1991). Accordingly, we consider any error resulting from Townsend's absence from the conference does not rise to a structural error and is therefore subject to harmless error analysis. Rice, 77 F.3d at 1141. We decline to decide if the in camera proceeding constituted a critical stage because we find that any such error was harmless. 26 Townsend also argues that Rule 43, Fed.R.Crim.P., was violated. Rule 43 requires the defendant to be present at every stage of the trial. This rule provides greater protection than the constitution. United States v. Wheat, 813 F.2d 1399, 1404 (9th Cir.1987). Rule 43 does not require a defendant's presence at a conference or argument involving questions of law. A violation of Rule 43 does not compel reversal unless a reasonable possibility of prejudice is shown. Wheat, 813 F.2d at 1404. We determine that Rule 43 would apply because a decision to accept a claim of Fifth Amendment privilege concerns questions of fact and law. However, we conclude that Townsend has not shown a reasonable possibility of prejudice. 27 Furthermore, any error, whether constitutional or violative of Rule 43, resulting from Townsend's absence from the conference would be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. It is speculative whether Townsend's presence would have had any impact on Hullaby's assertion of the Fifth Amendment and the trial court's acceptance of that assertion. The clear evidence of Townsend's guilt makes any error harmless. Any error also does not meet the stringent plain error standard.