Opinion ID: 728795
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Right to Testify

Text: 16 Defendant claims that the district court deprived him of his right to testify on his own behalf when it prevented him from continuing to testify after his counsel finished questioning him. He claims that by not inquiring as to what he wished to communicate further to the jury, the district court effectively denied his right to testify. 17 Few rights are more fundamental than that of an accused to present witnesses in his own defense. Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284, 302, 93 S.Ct. 1038, 1049, 35 L.Ed.2d 297 (1973). This right includes the right of a defendant to take the stand in his own defense and present relevant testimony. Rock v. Arkansas, 483 U.S. 44, 52, 107 S.Ct. 2704, 2709, 97 L.Ed.2d 37 (1987). This right is not, however, without limitation. Id. at 55, 107 S.Ct. at 2711. The right may, in appropriate cases, bow to accommodate other legitimate interests in the criminal trial process. Id. (quotations omitted). When exercising this right, the defendant must comply with established rules of procedure and evidence designed to assure both fairness and reliability in the ascertainment of guilt and innocence. Chambers, 410 U.S. at 302, 93 S.Ct. at 1049. Restrictions on a defendant's right to testify violate the Constitution only when they are arbitrary or disproportionate to the purposes they are designed to serve. Rock, 483 U.S. at 55-56, 107 S.Ct. at 2710-12. 18 In the present case, defendant elected to take the stand during trial. After he finished testifying, defendant's counsel indicated that defendant wished to take the stand again. Defendant's counsel also informed the court that he was advising the defendant to not retake the stand. The district court urged defendant to heed the advice of his counsel. The court then gave defendant and his counsel the lunch hour to confer on the matter. 19 After lunch, defendant's counsel indicated he was planning to recall defendant. The Government objected, arguing that such testimony would be cumulative with defendant's prior testimony. Defense counsel conceded that the testimony would be cumulative. The district court allowed defendant to retake the stand, but cautioned defendant that he needed to answer questions in a brief, plain manner. 20 Defendant was asked three questions. When defendant's counsel indicated that he had no further questions, defendant stated he wanted to continue speaking. Because there was no question pending, the district court would not permit defendant to testify, and he was excused from the stand. Defendant claims that this action by the district court deprived him of his right to testify. We disagree. 21 Defendant was allowed to testify in response to his counsel's questions and present his theory of the case. The district court restricted defendant's right to testify only when defendant attempted to proceed in a narrative fashion after his counsel had finished questioning him and when no questions were pending. The district court's ruling was neither arbitrary nor disproportionate to the purpose of insuring that the trial proceed in an orderly and fair manner. See Fed.R.Evid. 611(a); Hutter Northern Trust v. Door County Chamber of Commerce, 467 F.2d 1075, 1078 (7th Cir.1972) (upholding trial court's ruling precluding pro se plaintiff from testifying in narrative format). This restriction on defendant's right to testify did not violate the Constitution and was not an abuse of the district court's discretion.