Opinion ID: 1058311
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 45

Heading: Use of Styrofoam Heads by Dr. Harlan as Demonstrative Evidence

Text: Appellant challenges the use of demonstrative evidence by the medical examiner as inappropriate. During Dr. Harlan's testimony, he used styrofoam heads to demonstrate, with a pen, the head wounds suffered by the victims. This court approved the use of this type of demonstrative evidence in State v. Robert E. Cole, No. 02C01-9207-CR-00165, 1993 WL 539185, at  (Tenn.Crim.App. at Jackson, Dec. 30, 1993). In Cole, this Court concluded that the evidence was highly probative as to the issues to be decided by the jury. Under the circumstances, the trial court did not err in admitting the challenged evidence. Id. (citing State v. King, 718 S.W.2d 241 (Tenn. 1986); State v. Sexton, 724 S.W.2d 371 (Tenn.Crim.App.1986)). This court cannot find that the use of the styrofoam heads was inappropriate in this case as the appellant urges. The trial court did not err in its ruling that the use of the styrofoam heads would assist Dr. Harlan in demonstrating the location of the wounds. This issue is without merit.