Court Opinion

ID: 9842991
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 02:23:43.482347+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:14:23.932968
License: Public Domain

WELLFORD, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the denial of the petition but set forth briefly my reasons.
Unfortunately, in this case the government proved an attempt to suborn false testimony of Barbara Qaisi. She was wrongfully induced and bribed to give untrue testimony but that testimony was not material at the proceeding since the marriage of Barbara and Abdul Qaisi was, at the outset, legal on its face, and it was immaterial as to whether they were still living together at the time of the hearing. Materiality is an essential element of a perjury charge. See United States v. Brumley, 560 F.2d 1268, 1274 (5th Cir.1977); United States v. Damato, 554 F.2d 1371 (5th Cir.1977); United States v. Slavik, 548 F.2d 75 (3d Cir.1977). The argument made by the government in the petition to rehear has some merit; regrettably, it was not presented adequately by brief and at oral argument. I therefore with some reluctance join in the denial of the petition for rehearing.