Opinion ID: 2519737
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: in some instances the district court improperly restricted gomez's right to cross-examine witnesses for bias

Text: The Sixth Amendment confrontation clause guarantees a defendant an opportunity for effective cross-examination. Delaware v. Fensterer, 474 U.S. 15, 20, 106 S.Ct. 292, 294, 88 L.Ed.2d 15, 19 (1985). However, trial judges retain wide latitude insofar as the Confrontation Clause is concerned to impose reasonable limits on such cross-examination based on concerns about, among things, harassment, prejudice, confusion of the issues, the witness' safety, or interrogation that is repetitive or only marginally relevant. Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 679, 106 S.Ct. 1431, 1435, 89 L.Ed.2d 674, 683 (1986). In reviewing the trial court's decision as to relevance, the standard of review is de novo. State v. Thompson, 132 Idaho 628, 630, 977 P.2d 890, 892 (1999) (citing State v. Raudebaugh, 124 Idaho 758, 766, 864 P.2d 596, 604 (1993)). In reviewing the trial court's decision as to whether the probative value of the evidence outweighs its prejudicial impact, the standard of review is abuse of discretion. Id.