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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document508- Filed 11/24/21 Page16 of 25
2,
“A witness’s credibility may always be attacked by showing that his or her capacity to
observe, remember, or narrate is impaired. Consequently, the witness’s capacity at the time of
the event, as well as at the time of trial, is significant.” 4 Jack B. Weinstein & Margaret A.
Berger, Weinstein ’s Federal Evidence, § 607.05[1] (Joseph M. McLaughlin ed., 2d ed. 2009). As
the Second Circuit recognized in United States v. DiPaolo, “[iJt is, of course, within the proper
scope of cross-examination to determine whether a witness was under the influence of drugs or
narcotics or alcohol at the time of observation of events in dispute.” United States v. DiPaolo,
804 F.2d 225, 229 (2d Cir. 1986); accord Wilson v. United States, 232 U.S. 563, 568 (1914)
(morphine addiction at time of trial has “material bearing upon [a person’s] reliability as a
witness”); United States v. Robinson, 583 F.3d 1265, 1271-72 (10th Cir. 2009) (use of illegal
drugs at time of alleged crime and at time of trial relevant to credibility and capacity as a
witness); United States v. Jones, 213 F.3d 1253, 1261 (10th Cir. 2000) (use of prescription drugs
relevant because drug use affects “memory, perception, or comprehension”); United States v.
Sampol, 636 F.2d 621, 666 (D.C. Cir. 1980) (“We have recognized that it is proper to explore the
drug addiction of a witness in order to attack his credibility and capacity to observe the events in
question.”); United States v. Banks, 520 F.2d 627, 631 (7th Cir. 1975) (a judge may not forbid
“inquiry into an issue such as the narcotics use during trial of an important eye-witness and
central participant in the transaction at issue. Once a proper foundation has been established,
through, for example, a showing of reasonably contemporaneous drug use, the issue is open for
inquiry. The jury may not properly be deprived of this relevant evidence of possible inability to
recollect and relate.”); United States v. Pickard, 211 F. Supp. 2d 1287, 1292-93 (D. Kan. 2002)
(“[A] witness’ prior drug use may be admitted to show the effect of the drug use on the witness’
memory or recollection of events.”).
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Dates
Document Details
| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00008101.jpg |
| File Size | 756.5 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 93.7% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 2,220 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 17:31:29.462459 |