Opinion ID: 47622
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The use of Hitt's inculpatory statement against Causey

Text: 42 Since Causey's in limine motion preserved the issue, the district court's evidentiary decision on the Bruton issue is reviewed for abuse of discretion. See United States v. Nutall, 180 F.3d 182, 187-88 (5th Cir.1999). A non-testifying co-defendant's confession cannot be used to inculpate the defendant. United States v. Walker, 148 F.3d 518, 522 (5th Cir.1998), abrogated on other grounds by Texas v. Cobb, 532 U.S. 162, 121 S.Ct. 1335, 149 L.Ed.2d 321 (2001). Doing so when the co-defendant does not testify would deny the defendant his constitutional right to confront witnesses called against him and would result in a Bruton violation. Id. (citing Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 127, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 (1968)). 43 Hitt's confession, of which Causey complains, occurred partially in a police squad car in transit from the site of arrest to the police station and partially in Detective Gammill's office at the police station. Gammill, who questioned Hitt both in the squad car and in his office, testified at trial as to the inculpatory statements allegedly made by Hitt in both places. Gammill testified that Hitt waived his Miranda rights and confessed to having anal and oral sex with AV, both in Shreveport and in Mississippi. 44 Causey complains that a Bruton violation occurred when Gammill testified and the court did not provide a contemporaneous limiting instruction. If there was a Bruton violation, however, a limiting instruction would not have cured it. United States v. Bell, 367 F.3d 452, 469 (5th Cir. 2004). And, as Causey's brief tacitly admits, Gammill's testimony, by itself, was not a Bruton violation since it in no way mentioned Causey. See Bruton, 391 U.S. at 127-28, 88 S.Ct. 1620 (noting that the offending statements implicated the co-defendant). Causey also alleges a Bruton violation in the use of Hitt's confession in (1) the cross-examination of Causey, (2) the cross-examination of one of Causey's witnesses, and (3) closing argument. The Sixth Amendment is not violated in these circumstances because Hitt's statement as elicited from Gammill on direct and, as used on cross-examination and in closing, did not include any references to Causey, and Causey had an opportunity to cross-examine Gammill. Therefore, the court is not faced with a situation where Causey cannot confront a witness brought against him. We reject Causey's Bruton challenge.