4.8 IMPEACHMENT EVIDENCE—WITNESS

You have heard evidence that [name of witness], a witness, [specify basis for impeachment]. You may consider this evidence in deciding whether or not to believe this witness and how much weight to give to the testimony of this witness.

Comment

Fed. R. Evid. 608 (Evidence of Character and Conduct of Witness) and 609 (Impeachment By Evidence of Conviction of Crime) place restrictions on the use of instances of past conduct and convictions to impeach a witness, and Fed. R. Evid. 105 (Limited Admissibility) gives a defendant the right to request a limiting instruction explaining that the use of this evidence is limited to credibility of the witness.