Court Opinion

ID: 8911744
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-11-27 03:15:18.726704+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:08:35.360071
License: Public Domain

WIDENER, Circuit Judge,
concurring:
While I concur in the opinion, I would add a word.
At trial, the prosecution played to the jury a tape recording of an alleged telephone conversation between one Joseph Painter, a government witness and former employee of Hess, and Norman Goldberg, former marketing coordinator for defendant Amerada Hess Corporation. The government contended that this conversation was evidence of the price-fixing conspiracy. Although numerous parts of the tape were inaudible,1 the government was not only allowed to introduce into evidence the tape but was also allowed to give to the jury, not as evidence but as an “aid,” a transcript of the tape, the origin of which transcript was not certain and which in plain terms was merely a statement of what someone (apparently the transcriber) thought the tape said.
The prosecution was also allowed to introduce a controversial tape of a speech made at a SIGMA meeting by one Teak, the Executive Director of SIGMA, who was deceased at the time of trial, and a transcript of the tape, the origin of which transcript was also not definitely determined. This Teak tape, only parts of which were played to the jury, was extremely damaging to the defendants’ case.
Where a tape recording has been made of an admissible conversation, even if the tape may be admissible, I feel that a transcript of the tape should not be. Neither should it go to the jury as an “aid.” Although, our decision in this case, while not in terms, follows the circuit rule that such transcripts are admissible, United States v. Hall, 342 F.2d 849 (4th Cir. 1965), I think it is quite unfair and prejudicial to the party against whom the evidence contained on the tape is offered. It is known by all that a paper writing adds a kind of authenticity to any statement. In addition, the jury has access to that testimony while in the jury room, if admitted into evidence. All of this leads me to the conclusion that by permitting a *475transcript of a recorded tape to be introduced into evidence or by permitting its use as an aid, undue emphasis is placed on the testimony represented by the tape recording, and amounts to nothing more than the transcription for the jury of the testimony of one witness to the exclusion of that of others. I think our rule on this question is incorrect and would have granted rehearing en banc, changed the rule, and awarded a new trial on this account.
Having received not near enough support to prevail on the proposition voiced just above, I have not dissented, and make no attempt to detract from the opinion except to voice my disagreement with the established circuit rule.

. Joint Appendix Vol. 7, p. 1966-1975 reveals 119 inaudible portions in 9'A pages of transcript. Hall, infra, had 25% inaudible, p. 853.