- 25 - give petitioners notice as required by rule 803(24) of the Federal Rules of Evidence. c. Circumstantial Guarantees of Trustworthiness Respondent must also show that Hodges' and Hogue's testimony has circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness equivalent to those required to qualify for other hearsay exceptions. Fed. R. Evid. 803(24). Respondent contends that the testimony meets this requirement because the FBI agents had an adequate basis for their factual findings, the results of the FBI's investigation support the truthfulness of the FBI agents' factual findings, petitioner extensively cross-examined the FBI agents, and statements made by public officials based on their factual findings from an investigation made pursuant to authority granted by law are generally believed to be trustworthy. We disagree that these points establish circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness equivalent to those required to qualify for other hearsay exceptions. Respondent's only reference to another hearsay exception is to rule 803(8) of the Federal Rules of Evidence. We held above that rule 803(8) of the Federal Rules of Evidence does not apply here. See par. B-2, p. 18. The rules of evidence do not provide a blanket hearsay exception for testimony by public officials. Respondent has not shown that the FBI agents' testimony has circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness that are equivalent to other hearsay exceptions.Page: Previous 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011