Opinion ID: 2570573
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Anti-gratuity statute

Text: Although he did not raise the issue below, Leonard now claims that the State paid Jesus Cintron for his testimony in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(c)(2). The statute provides, in pertinent part, for criminal sanctions in cases where someone directly or indirectly, gives, offers, or promises anything of value to any person, for or because of the testimony under oath or affirmation given or to be given by such person as a witness upon a trial, hearing, or other proceeding, before any court. Leonard argues that exclusion of Cintron's testimony is the appropriate remedy for a violation of the statute. We conclude that there was no error in admitting Cintron's testimony, let alone any plain error that would warrant reversal notwithstanding Leonard's failure to object. Preliminarily, we note that the assistance given to Cintron in this case was arguably provided for reasons other than his testimony. Here, Cintron received money for relocation expenses from the victim/witness assistance center of the district attorney's office, and he received $1,000 from the Secret Witness Program of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The Secret Witness money was arguably provided because of Cintron's assistance in the police investigation, and the relocation expenses were unequivocally provided because Cintron felt threatened. In any case, Leonard's position that Cintron's testimony should have been excluded is at odds with persuasive authority. At the federal level, several courts have held that the provisions do not apply to the United States or to assistant U.S. attorneys, at least where such officials are exercising the traditional sovereign power. See, e.g., United States v. Stephenson, 183 F.3d 110, 118 (2d Cir.1999), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1013, 120 S.Ct. 517, 145 L.Ed.2d 400 (1999); United States v. Singleton, 165 F.3d 1297, 1298-1302 (10th Cir.1999), cert. denied, 527 U.S. 1024, 119 S.Ct. 2371, 144 L.Ed.2d 775 (1999). We are similarly persuaded that the statute should not apply to the type of assistance afforded by the State in the instant case. Even assuming that the State is not exempt from the statute's provisions for the assistance rendered here, the remedy of exclusion is unwarranted given the absence of either statutory provision for such a remedy or a constitutional violation. See United States v. Smith, 196 F.3d 1034, 1040 (9th Cir.1999) (concluding that the remedy of exclusion is not warranted assuming arguendo government violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(c)(2)), cert. denied, 529 U.S. 1028, 120 S.Ct. 1440, 146 L.Ed.2d 328 (2000); United States v. Ware, 161 F.3d 414, 424-25 (6th Cir.1998) (similar), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1045, 119 S.Ct. 1348, 143 L.Ed.2d 511 (1999).