Opinion ID: 440409
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sterling's remaining allegations of trial error

Text: 25 (1) Sterling's allegations of prosecutorial misconduct do not require reversal of his convictions. Sterling claims error as to only one isolated matter during the course of a nine-day trial. Even assuming without deciding that the prosecutor's comments during closing argument were error, such error would not require a reversal unless the error resulted in a serious possibility of prejudice to the defendant. United States v. Jones, 592 F.2d 1038, 1943 (9th Cir.) cert. denied, 441 U.S. 951, 99 S.Ct. 2179, 60 L.Ed.2d 1056 (1979). On the facts before us, we cannot say that the prosecutor's reference to evidence on a non-essential matter during closing argument resulted in a serious possibility of prejudice to the defendant. 26 (2) The court did not abuse its discretion by limiting defense counsel's cross-examinations of the government witnesses. The cross-examinations were vigorous and sustained, satisfying the demands of the confrontation clause. See United States v. DeLuca, 692 F.2d 1277, 1282 (9th Cir.1982). 27 (3) The court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant defense counsel access to a government witness' psychiatric records. The district court examined the materials in camera and determined that the probative value of the records was substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues or misleading the jury or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. See Fed.R.Evid. 403. We find that it was not an abuse of discretion for the district court to conclude that the evidence in question was inadmissible under Rule 403. 28 (4) We will not reverse the district court's denial of a continuance absent a clear abuse of discretion. United States v. Barrett, 703 F.2d 1076, 1081 (9th Cir.1983). When a continuance is requested to obtain witnesses, the accused must show who they are, what their testimony will be, that the testimony will be competent and relevant, that the witnesses can probably be obtained if the continuance is granted and that due diligence has been used to obtain their attendance on the day set for trial. United States v. Hoyos, 573 F.2d 1111, 1114 (9th Cir.1978). Sterling's offer of proof failed to meet the Hoyos requirement. The district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant the continuance.