Opinion ID: 380205
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Refusal to Subpoena Medical Expert.

Text: 24 The defense requested an indigent subpoena under F.R.Crim.Pro. 17(b) to require a Dr. Gregory Nail to testify as an expert witness concerning the effect of drug use by May on his perceptions at the time of the drug usage as well as on his memory at the time of trial. The defense offered to prove that Dr. Nail would testify, based upon a hypothetical question rather than on an examination of May, that, in light of May's drug history, his judgment, ability to perceive reality, memory and accuracy of perception would be impaired, unreliable and inaccurate both at the time of the events described and at trial. He would also have testified that the ability of May to recall at the time of trial the events described would be similarly impaired. An adequate foundation was presented showing Dr. Nail's qualifications to testify on these subjects. The district court refused to issue the subpoena because the testimony would not aid the jury in weighing the issues in the case and indicated that even if the witness had been called at the defendant's expense, he would grant the government motion to exclude the testimony. 25 Whether to admit the type of testimony offered here is a decision left to the discretion of the trial judge, and we will not overturn his decision in the absence of an abuse of such discretion. See United States v. Demma, 9 Cir., 1975, 523 F.2d 981, 986-987; United States v. Barnard, 9 Cir., 1973, 490 F.2d 907, 912. Here, May testified at length as to his ability to perceive the events he testified to and his ability to recall those events, all in a manner certain to result in the jury questioning his credibility. The expert witness, on the other hand, would testify only to hypothetical impairment of memory and perception. It was not an abuse of discretion for the trial judge to refuse to subpoena Dr. Nail. 26