Opinion ID: 1975189
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the Declarant is Unavailable

Text: It is well established in this jurisdiction that one of the fundamental predicates to the admissibility of declarations against interest is that the declarant be unavailable as a witness. See Alston v. United States, D.C.App., 383 A.2d 307 (1978); Gichner v. Antonio Troiano Tile & Marble Co., 133 U.S.App.D.C. 250, 410 F.2d 238 (1969). Moreover, [t]he proponent of such evidence has the burden of establishing that the witness is unavailable. Coppedge v. United States, 114 U.S.App.D.C. 79, 83, 311 F.2d 128, 132 (1962); United States v. Lynch, 163 U.S.App.D.C. 6, 17-18, 499 F.2d 1011, 1022-23 (1974). Under the Federal Rules of Evidence, one who offers a statement against penal interest can meet this burden by establishing, inter alia, that the declarant is exempted by ruling of the court on the ground of privilege from testifying concerning the subject matter of his statement. Fed.R.Evid. 804(a)(1). See also Alston v. United States, supra ; United States v. Elmore, 423 F.2d 775, 778 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 825, 91 S.Ct. 49, 27 L.Ed.2d 54 (1970). If an accused establishes that the declarant erroneously persists in refusing to testify, he also meets the unavailability requirement. Fed.R.Evid. 804(a)(2). See also Mason v. United States, 408 F.2d 903 (10th Cir. 1969), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 993, 91 S.Ct. 462, 27 L.Ed.2d 441 (1971); United States v. Fiore, 443 F.2d 112, 115 & n. 3 (2d Cir. 1971), cert. denied, 410 U.S. 984, 93 S.Ct. 1510, 36 L.Ed.2d 181 (1973); McCormick, supra § 253, at 612.