Opinion ID: 185932
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ouaffai's Testimony

Text: 19 At the separate trial of Henry and Harrison, the Government called Adelhamid Ouaffai. Ouaffai testified on direct examination that on several occasions he had sold Harrison a large number of ziploc baggies and chemicals to cut heroin; that Harrison had told him he was a heroin dealer; and that Harrison had said he received heroin from Chinese suppliers. 20 Harrison's counsel attempted to impeach Ouaffai by having him acknowledge prior statements he made to the FBI on May 4, 1998, statements that were supposedly inconsistent with his testimony on direct or cross-examination. In particular, Ouaffai conceded that he told the FBI he had met Harrison only three to seven times, although he testified on direct that he had met with Harrison more than ten times; although Ouaffai testified on cross-examination that Harrison always arrived in a blue car, he admitted telling the FBI that Harrison always arrived in some non-descript American car; Ouaffai testified on cross-examination that he dealt with hundreds of drug dealers, but he conceded telling the FBI that Harrison was the only drug dealer with whom he was involved. Harrison's counsel then asked a series of questions suggesting that Ouaffai's testimony was not credible because he wanted a plea agreement. 21 On redirect examination, the Government sought to introduce other statements from the FBI report, as well as portions of the statement of facts from Ouaffai's July 5, 2000, plea agreement, consistent with Ouaffai's testimony on direct examination. Some of the statements addressed the inconsistency regarding the number of drug dealers that Ouaffai knew; most of the statements only reiterated Ouaffai's testimony on direct examination. In response to a defense objection, the Government argued, and the District Court agreed, that the statements were admissible under FED. R. EVID. 801(d)(1)(b) to rehabilitate Ouaffai. (The judge instructed the jurors that they could use prior consistent statements to judg[e] the credibility of the witness ... but not as proof that what was said in the earlier statement was true. Tr., 2 JA in 01-3037, at 474.) Harrison contends that the statements should have been excluded. 22 Hearsay is an out-of-court statement offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. FED. R. EVID. 801(c). Rule 801 provides that a prior consistent statement is not hearsay if it is offered to rebut an express or implied charge against the declarant of recent fabrication or improper influence or motive. FED.R.EVID. 801(d)(1)(B). The Supreme Court has interpreted the rule as requiring that the offered statement be made before there was a motive to fabricate. Tome v. United States, 513 U.S. 150, 115 S.Ct. 696, 130 L.Ed.2d 574 (1995). According to Harrison, Ouaffai's prior consistent statements were made after he had a motive to fabricate — because Ouaffai had already begun cooperating with the authorities — and therefore were not admissible. 23 Rule 801(d)(1)(B) applies only when a prior consistent statement is offered for its truth. See FED.R.EVID. 801(d)(1)(B) advisory committee's note; Tome, 513 U.S. at 157, 115 S.Ct. at 701. But statements may be introduced for reasons other than their truth. Suppose a witness testifies on direct examination to fact X and then on cross-examination is asked about his statement, made sometime before trial, suggesting that he believed not-X. Could the party who called the witness ask him to verify his prior consistent statements even though the witness made them after he had a motive to shade the truth? We think the answer is yes, and so do other courts of appeals. See United States v. Simonelli, 237 F.3d 19, 26-27 (1st Cir.2001); United States v. Ellis, 121 F.3d 908, 919-20 (4th Cir.1997); United States v. Pierre, 781 F.2d 329, 331-33 (2d Cir.1986); United States v. Harris, 761 F.2d 394, 399-400 (7th Cir.1985); see also United States v. Rubin, 609 F.2d 51, 69-70 (2d Cir.1979) (Friendly, J., concurring); cf. United States v. Tarantino, 846 F.2d 1384, 1411 (D.C.Cir.1988); Coltrane v. United States, 418 F.2d 1131, 1140 (D.C.Cir.1969) (decided before the adoption of the Federal Rules of Evidence). These prior statements would not be offered for the truth of the matter asserted — fact X — and therefore would not need to satisfy Rule 801(d)(1)(B). They would be introduced to show that the witness did not give statements on direct that were inconsistent with what he had said before. See Coltrane, 418 F.2d at 1140. The prior statements would be admissible on this basis because of the cross-examination. They would be relevant, under FED.R.EVID. 401, to a matter of consequence — namely, that the witness made inconsistent statements about fact X, which would tend to undermine his credibility. See, e.g., 22 CHARLES ALAN WRIGHT & KENNETH W. GRAHAM, FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE: EVIDENCE § 5177, at 143 (1978). In evaluating whether evidence is relevant, the judge must take account of the relationship of the evidence offered to the evidence already admitted. Some matters are properly provable only because the opposing party has made them such. United States v. Russo, 104 F.3d 431, 433 (D.C.Cir.1997). 24 Here, the only prior statements the Government introduced on redirect that clarified an apparent inconsistency were those concerning whether Ouaffai knew drug dealers other than Harrison. These statements were properly admitted (though not on the ground the District Court recited). The rest of Ouaffai's prior statements were not targeted at rebutting the inconsistencies probed during cross-examination, but served only to show that most of Ouaffai's testimony on direct examination was consistent with his earlier statements. It thus was error to admit them. See FED. R. EVID. 402. 25 The error does not require reversal. An objecting party must state the specific ground of objection, if the specific ground [is] not apparent from the context. FED.R.EVID. 103(a)(1). Although Harrison objected several times to the admission of Ouaffai's prior consistent statements, not once did he state the grounds of the objections. Nor is it apparent from the record that the ground of the objections was relevance. Cf. United States v. Boyd, 55 F.3d 667, 671 n. 3 (D.C.Cir.1995). Accordingly, we review for plain error. See FED.R.CRIM.P. 52(b); United States v. Weaver, 281 F.3d 228, 231 (D.C.Cir.2002). Under this standard of review, a defendant must show, inter alia, that the error affected his substantial rights — that is, that the error affected the outcome of the trial. United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 734, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 1777-78, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993). Harrison has made no such showing. Other evidence, including a significant number of recorded conversations obtained through wiretaps, established Harrison's membership in the conspiracy. 26 There is another issue concerning Ouaffai's testimony. Federal Rule of Evidence 614(b) permits a judge to interrogate witnesses. Judges enjoy broad latitude regarding the type of questions asked and the extent of their questioning. See United States v. Tilghman, 134 F.3d 414, 416 (D.C.Cir.1998). It is an abuse of discretion, however, for a judge to ask questions signifying that he finds the witness believable. See id. Harrison contends the trial judge crossed the line in the following exchange: 27 The Court: I have just one question. You understand, Mr. Ouaffai, before your sentencing by Judge Legg in Baltimore, I have the opportunity to talk to the Judge. Is there anything you've said to this jury here today that is not the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? 28 Def. Counsel: Objection, Your Honor. 29 The Court: Overruled. 30