Court Opinion

ID: 9537021
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:11:29.874242+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:55:46.164299
License: Public Domain

STERNBERG, Judge,
concurring and specially concurring:
I am in complete agreement with the majority opinion: the hood and sweater were properly used to impeach defendant’s testimony that he was not on the premises on the day in question. A defendant’s privilege to testify on his own behalf does not extend to allowing him to perjure himself with impunity. See Harris v. New York, 401 U.S. 222, 91 S.Ct. 643, 28 L.Ed.2d 1 (1971).
However, even if United States v. Havens, 446 U.S. 620, 100 S.Ct. 1912, 64 L.Ed.2d 559 (1980) is to be given as narrow an interpretation as the dissenting opinion argues for, nevertheless, I would hold that the evidence in question was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967).
In this regard, the evidence of defendant’s presence at the scene was overwhelming. One cannot read the record without concluding that the jury verdict was correct, even without the disputed impeachment evidence. Not only was there identification testimony by the victim and another witness, but also defendant’s fingerprint on the glass in the victim’s home proved that he was on the premises at the time in question. See Cannito & Konder v. Sigler, 449 F.2d 542 (8th Cir.1971) (error, if any, in receiving into evidence guns previously suppressed held to be harmless because of eyewitness identification and other evidence of guilt); United States v. Manning, 440 F.2d 1105, 1106 (5th Cir.1971) (evidence of defendant’s participation in a bank robbery was overwhelming; thus error, if any, in admission of an incriminating airline coupon was harmless). See also Young v. Maryland, 455 F.2d 679 (4th Cir.1972).
Thus, in any event, the conviction should be affirmed.