Opinion ID: 2069685
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Identification of Appellant

Text: The identity of the defendant as the person who committed the charged crime is an essential element that the government must always prove beyond a reasonable doubt. See United States v. Telfaire, 152 U.S.App.D.C. 146, 149, 469 F.2d 552, 555, 559 (1972); United States v. Fenster, 449 F.Supp. 435, 439 (E.D.Mich.1978); CRIMINAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, No. 5.06 (4th ed.1993). A specific in-court identification by a witness, however, is not always necessary. United States v. Alexander, 48 F.3d 1477, 1490 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 516 U.S. 878, 116 S.Ct. 210, 133 L.Ed.2d 142 (1995); see State v. Kaba, 217 Neb. 81, 83-87, 349 N.W.2d 627, 630-631 (1984). In some cases identification may be inferred from all the facts and circumstances that are in evidence. United States v. Weed, 689 F.2d 752, 754 (7th Cir.1982) (citations omitted). Therefore, a witness need not physically point out a defendant so long as the evidence is sufficient to permit the inference that the person on trial was the person who committed the crime. United States v. Darrell, 629 F.2d 1089, 1091 (5th Cir.1980) (citations omitted). Although we have not expressly adopted this rule, it is not inconsistent with our case law [13] and has been embraced by many other appellate courts, both state and federal. See, e.g., United States v. Morrow, 925 F.2d 779, 781 (4th Cir.1991); United States v. Green, 757 F.2d 116, 119 (7th Cir.1985); United States v. Weed, supra, 689 F.2d at 754-755; Delegal v. United States, 329 F.2d 494 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 379 U.S. 821, 85 S.Ct. 44, 13 L.Ed.2d 32 (1964); Becker v. State, 298 Ark. 438, 440-442, 768 S.W.2d 527, 529 (1989); People v. King, 151 Ill.App.3d 644, 646-648, 104 Ill. Dec. 827, 829-830, 503 N.E.2d 384, 386-387 (1987); State v. Burton, 615 So.2d 1042, 1046 (La.Ct.App.1993), cert. denied, 516 U.S. 977, 116 S.Ct. 482, 133 L.Ed.2d 409 (1995); State v. Kaba, supra, 217 Neb. at 83-87, 349 N.W.2d at 630-631; State v. Watts, 72 N.C.App. 661, 662-663, 325 S.E.2d 505, 506, review denied, 313 N.C. 611, 332 S.E.2d 83 (1985); State v. Hill, 83 Wash.2d 558, 559-561, 520 P.2d 618, 619 (1974). In the instant case, although Officer Farr did not directly identify appellant in the courtroom, the record is replete with evidence sufficient to allow the jury to find that the defendant who appeared at trial was the person who committed the acts charged. In the first place, there were no co-defendants, so that any mention of the defendant would certainly have denoted appellant Brooks. Officer Farr repeatedly referred to the person he encountered on February 24 at 1322 Park Road as Mr. Brooks or the defendant, and Officers Womack, Bailey, and Ingram expressly identified appellant in court as the person whom Officer Farr subdued and arrested. See United States v. Morrow, supra, 925 F.2d at 781; see also Becker v. State, supra, 298 Ark. at 440-442, 768 S.W.2d at 529 (the fact that none of [the witnesses] pointed out that the wrong man had been brought to trial was eloquent and sufficient proof of identity). Also, without objection, the prosecutor repeatedly referred to the defendant throughout the trial as the same Dawayne Brooks who had been involved in the events of February 24. See United States v. Green, supra, 757 F.2d at 119; United States v. Weed, supra, 689 F.2d at 754. Even defense counsel asked Officer Farr on cross-examination, In the period of time ... when you went into the house until the time you allege that you saw my client, there were many conversations that you could overhear.... Isn't that true? Moments later, in response to defense counsel's question, You couldn't see my client at the time [of the encounter]?, Officer Farr said, Yes, I could see who he was. [I]n-court identification is not necessary when the defendant's attorney himself identifies his client at trial. United States v. Alexander, supra, 48 F.3d at 1490 (citations omitted). We strongly agree with the courts in several of the cases we have cited that it is preferable for the prosecutor to ask the witness to identify the defendant in open court, [14] and we urge prosecutors not to omit asking what may seem to them a mere pro forma question. We also agree, however, that the identity of the defendant may be inferred from all the evidence before the jury, as these and other cases consistently hold. Thus in this case the court did not err in denying appellant's motion for judgment of acquittal on the ground that Officer Farr failed to make a specific in-court identification of appellant.