Court Opinion

ID: 9455039
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 19:07:14.782964+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:34:25.542902
License: Public Domain

FAHY, Senior Circuit Judge
(concurring) :
I concur in affirmance and in Judge Hill’s treatment of the issue of (1) the trial judge’s responses to the jury’s inquiry about the possible testimony of Deloris Ware, and (2) the responses of certain jurors on the voir dire.
I wish to comment, however, on the ' contention of appellant that the prosecution coerced or threatened Deloris Ware, intending to prevent her from testifying for the defense. The prosecutor of *378course would have had the right to impeach her had she testified, but his comments indicate that he might have intimidated her from doing so. If she had been aware of his remarks, I think the prosecution might have interfered unduly with the conduct of the defense. I do not suggest that the prosecutor’s remarks amounted to obstructing justice as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1503, for the criteria governing that offense vary from those for determining the question of error in the trial. Nevertheless, I find no reversible error in this matter because, as Judge Hill points out, we cannot conclude that the comments which disturb me were brought to the attention of Deloris Ware or were the reason she did not testify.