Opinion ID: 4123136
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of the entire transcript

Text: The final argument LaVictor raises concerns the decision of the district court to allow the entire grand jury transcript to be admitted directly into evidence without providing an explanation or cautionary instruction. LaVictor did not object during trial and concedes that in such a circumstance this Court reviews for plain error. Equally, the government concedes that the preferred method for introducing testimony involves reading it out loud. A dispute exists as to whether the error in question was plain and whether it impacted LaVictor’s substantive rights. This Court has held that a district court abuses its discretion when it allows for grand jury testimony to be presented as an exhibit to the jury. See, e.g., United States v. Smith, 419 F.3d 521, 527 (6th Cir. 2005). Taped or recorded testimony creates a potential for double exposure to selected testimony that may improperly influence a jury. United States v. Walker, 1 F.3d 423, 430 (6th Cir. 1993); see also Engebretsen v. Fairchild Aircraft Corp., 21 F.3d 721, 730 n.2 (6th Cir. 1994) (a “party’s right to admit prior statements in a document . . . does not necessarily entitle [ ] that party to submit the documents as an exhibit to the jury. Permitting the document to go to the jury room could unduly prejudice the cross examination.”). With that said, not all decisions to admit transcript testimony amount to an abuse of discretion. See United States v. West, 948 F.2d 1042, 1044 (6th Cir. 1991) (decision to admit tapes were within the sound discretion of the court). As a general rule, a district court must offer some justification for its decision when deciding to admit the transcript directly into evidence. Smith, 419 F.3d at 528 (a district court must provide some reason for “eschew[ing] the established practice of simply reading the transcript of the testimony aloud to the jury.”). The trial judge failed to make any findings or offer any explanation for its decision to present the full transcript to the jury. We find that this constituted an error. However, even assuming that the error was, in fact, plain, there is no indication that the decision had a substantial impact upon LaVictor’s rights. LaVictor insists that remand is necessary because C.B.’s grand jury testimony was taken out of context. And that but for the No. 15-1580 United States v. LaVictor Page 27 transcript, the government was left with little evidence from which it could have convicted him. The record, however, belies LaVictor’s claim. This Court has emphasized that any prejudice from having grand jury testimony admitted can be ameliorated by watching the witness testify. Smith, 419 F.3d at 529. The jury had the benefit of seeing C.B. testify at trial twice. LaVictor had a full opportunity to cross-examine her and place her grand jury testimony in context. And finally, there was substantial evidence introduced at trial from which a jury could have convicted LaVictor separate from the transcript. Because he failed to preserve the objection, LaVictor has the burden of showing that the district court’s decision affected the outcome of the case. LaVictor has not made such a showing. Similarly, we reject his argument concerning a lack of cautionary instruction. We agree, as LaVictor contends, that “when a trial court permits a deliberating jury to review trial testimony, the trial court must give the jury a cautionary instruction.” United States v. Rodgers, 109 F.3d 1138, 1144–45 (6th Cir. 1997). But again, under plain error review, we fail to see, in light of the overwhelming evidence already before the jury, what prejudice LaVictor suffered. Therefore, we reject his argument.