Opinion ID: 390276
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Informant and Accomplice Credibility

Text: 27 Failure to give an informant or accomplice credibility instruction requires reversal when the informant or accomplice's testimony is  'important' to the case, i. e., it supplies the only strong evidence of guilt. See Guam v. Dela Rosa, 644 F.2d 1257 at 1260 (9th Cir. 1981) (per curiam). 14 28 Wood clearly was an informant. Shevalier was an accomplice, and he was also an informant because he provide(d) evidence against a defendant for some personal advantage  Id. at 1259. Martinson was seen coming and going, but the case against him relied primarily on the testimony of Wood and Shevalier. The instruction should have been given. See id. 1260. 15