Court Opinion

ID: 9636825
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 14:44:32.356654+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:49.844257
License: Public Domain

CLARK, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
Admission of evidence of other criminal activity of an accused to show intent is “a matter in which the trial judge should be allowed a wide range of discretion,” as we recently held in a case to my mind much more extreme than this, United States v. Feldman, 2 Cir., 136 F.2d 394, 399, affirmed Feldman v. United States, 64 S.Ct. 1082. *81Use of such evidence in prosecutions under the Mann Act is a commonplace. See, e. g., Neff v. United States, 8 Cir., 105 F.2d 688; Cohen v. United States, 5 Cir., 120 F.2d 139; United States v. Pape, 2 Cir., 144 F.2d 778. Whether evidence of a single act of rape somewhat remote in time should be admitted to show intent to engage in white slave traffic need not be decided here, although Ellis v. United States, 8 Cir., 138 F.2d 612, seems to go that far and the discussion in Bracey v. United States, App.D.C., 142 F.2d 85, as well as the shrewd observation in 2 Wigmore on Evidence, 3d Ed. 1940, § 357, that there is “altogether too much hesitation in receiving such evidence” in connection with sexual offenses and that there is “room for much more common sense,” tends to suggest admissibility. Here, however, Mary Smith’s testimony was much more directly relevant. I believe it was properly admitted (under the limitations as to its use which the trial jtidge most carefully stated and restated to the jury), both as part of an entire story which was itself clearly admissible and as having independent corroborative value on that story.
It is always confusing, if not dangerous, to try to make a part of what is essentially only one transaction alone admissible; efficient precoaching of a witness to force understanding of such limitations may very well seem indicated, lest the jury be given the impression that something is being concealed from it, for reasons certainly not obvious to a layman. On the ground that such partial concealment is improper, I believe the testimony here admissible. Further, however, it is directly pertinent as explaining how this witness came to engage in a life of vice upon what otherwise are likely to seem too inadequate suggestions, too indirectly connected with the accused; and it shows a degree of ruthlessness in debauchery, and probably also in sinister purposiveness, which, as a common-sense matter, does directly bear upon his intent to make use of women as he chose. The real objection to the evidence appears to be that it is so convincing against the defendant — hardly a sound reason for excluding it. That the story is capable of easy fabrication is not an answer; that presents an issue for the jury, and in judging the witness’ veracity the jury is entitled to consider, inter alia, the extent to which she presses her story.
The other important holding here, requiring the prosecution to deliver to the accused a statement from a witness of which it had made no use, seems the making of new, even if desirable, law, for prior federal holdings are pretty clearly against the requirement. Arnstein v. United States, 54 App.D.C. 199, 296 F. 946, 950, certiorari denied 264 U.S. 595, 44 S.Ct. 454, 68 L.Ed. 867; United States v. Rosenfeld, 2 Cir., 57 F.2d 74, certiorari denied Nachman v. United States, 286 U.S. 556, 52 S.Ct. 642, 76 L.Ed. 1290; United States v. Cotter, 2 Cir., 60 F.2d 689, certiorari denied Cotter v. United States, 287 U.S. 666, 53 S.Ct. 291, 77 L.Ed. 575; Lennon v. United States, 8 Cir.. 20 F.2d 490, 493; Little v. United States, 8 Cir., 93 F.2d 401, 407, certiorari denied 303 U.S. 644, 58 S.Ct. 643, 82 L.Ed. 1105, rehearing denied 303 U.S. 668, 58 S.Ct. 756, 82 L.Ed. 1124; Boehm v. United States, 8 Cir, 123 F.2d 791, 805, 806, certiorari denied 315 U.S. 800, 62 S.Ct. 626, 86 L.Ed. 1200, rehearing denied 315 U.S. 828, 62 S.Ct. 794, 86 L.Ed. 1223. Compare United States v. Marino, 2 Cir, 141 F.2d 771, 774. In United States v. Socony-Vacuum Oil Co, 310 U.S. 150, 234, 235, 60 S.Ct. 811, 84 L.Ed. 1129, dealing with a somewhat similar question of use of Grand Jury mimit.es, the Supreme Court refused to disturb the discretion of the trial judge. These cases, indeed, seem to me to state a rule more strict than is necessary to find no error here, where, as will be pointed out, the defendants had the full benefit of the fact of conflict in the witness’ statements, and would get merely additional emphasis from the document itself. Able state courts appear divided. Thus, delivery seems required in New York, which treats the federal rule as contra, People v. Walsh, 262 N.Y. 140, 186 N.E. 422; People v. Schainuck, 286 N.Y. 161, 36 N.E.2d 94, while the contrary appears to be held in Ohio, State v. Rhoads, 81 Ohio St. 397, 91 N.E. 186, 27 L.R.A,N.S, 558, 18 Ann. Cas. 415, and perhaps New Jersey, State v. Simon, 113 N.J.L. 521, 174 A. 867, 875, and the matter appears to rest in the discretion of the trial court in Connecticut, State v. Hayes, 127 Conn. 543, 18 A.2d 895, 922 (upholding refusal of inspection). Judge Yankwich says, “Discovery in criminal cases finds no sanction in federal law,” 3 F.R.D. 209, 215. And it is to be noted that the first draft of Federal Criminal Rule 18 for discovery where “not priv*82ileged” was later changed in the second draft to papers “obtained from or belonging to the defendant or constituting evidence.” Even in civil actions, where there would normally seem much less reason for hesitation, considerable protest has been made against discovery of matters developed in preparing one’s own case. Cf. 7 Federal Rules Service 965 and authorities cited.
Even if the rule is desirable, it may be a question how far error should be found against a trial judge who has carefully followed the previously existing rule, particularly where, as here, it is at least most improbable that his ruling at all affected the result. The rule may be made quite appealing if the situation is viewed in stark blacks and whites; of course, a prosecutor cannot be justified in withholding evidence demonstrating that his important witness is a liar. Probably few trial judges would go that far anyhow, even if there are prosecutors who would so abuse their office. On the other hand, an absolute rule that all material concerning a witness, from the time he first denies any knowledge of any matter under investigation down to the time he decides to talk, must be at the disposal of the accused seems neither necessary nor desirable. Is not the better course the one indicated in the Socony-Vacuum case, that control should rest largely in the discretion of the trial judge, who does have the over-all duty of seeing that a fair trial is had?
Flere the discretion of the trial judge was carefully and, I believe, wisely exercised. The material witness had been subjected to the most lengthy cross-examination by both this accused and his codefendant and had become hysterical and rather offensive' in her conduct, although the repetitive questions for the codefendant were an extreme test of patience. At any rate, she freely admitted that she had given a statement to the government agent in conflict with her present .testimony, wherein she had exonerated this accused and particularly the woman codefendant — in fact the more appealing of the two here under prosecution, now already serving her sentence while her copartner gets yet another trial. This witness had been discredited, therefore, as much as was possible; delivery up of the statement would have added no new factor, but would undoubtedly have simply added pages more to the record of bickering of the kind already had ad nauseam. The circumstances suggest the necessity of upholding, not constricting, the trial court’s control of such a situation. There is no question of the weight of the evidence against the accused. I think his trial was fair and his conviction just.