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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 438 Filed 11/12/21 Page 38 of 54
the Federal Rules of Evidence contain extensive provisions governing the impeachment of
witnesses. Fed. R. Evid. 607-13. Rule 806 also authorizes attacks on the credibility of hearsay
declarants, agents, and co-conspirators when those individual’s statements have been admitted
into evidence. Fed. R. Evid. 806. This rule “effectively treats the hearsay declarant as a witness
for impeachment and rehabilitation purposes.” 2 McCormick on Evid. § 324.2 (8th ed.).
For individuals who are not witnesses and not hearsay declarants, however, none of those
rules apply. Instead, those non-witnesses’ “credibility is irrelevant.” United States v. McGowan,
58 F.3d 8, 15-16 (2d Cir. 1995). The Second Circuit has therefore “clearly established . . . the
principle that a statement not offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted may not be
impeached under Rule 806.” United States v. Paulino, 445 F.3d 211, 217 (2d Cir. 2006); see
United States v. Dipietro, No. 02 Cr. 1237 (SWK), 2005 WL 1430483, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. June 17,
2005) (“It has long been the case in the Second Circuit that it is proper to preclude cross-
examination of an individual whose statements are not admitted for their truth.”). Even if the
individual is a “‘central figure’” in the case, “a district court need not allow impeachment” if the
individual’s “out-of-court statements were not admitted for their truth.” United States v. Regan,
103 F.3d 1072, 1083 (2d Cir. 1997) (quoting McGowan, 58 F.3d at 15-16); see United States v.
Perez, No. 05 Cr. 441 (PKL), 2005 WL 2709160, at *3 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 20, 2005) (“Because the
informant’s statements are not hearsay, and because the government will not call the informant
as a witness at trial, it follows that defendant may not impeach the credibility of the informant.”).
In this case, the Government is not planning to call Minor Victim-5 or Minor Victim-6.
To the extent other witnesses are expected to testify about the activities of Minor Victim-5 and
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Document Details
| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00006398.jpg |
| File Size | 700.8 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 93.7% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 2,065 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 17:10:46.168758 |