Opinion ID: 4037937
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Testimony About the Victim’s Injuries

Text: Mr. Twobabies argues that his due process rights were violated by “the introduction of irrelevant and cumulative but highly prejudicial photographs and testimony concerning the victim’s injuries.” R., Vol. 1 at 22. On direct appeal, the OCCA concluded that the evidence was relevant to show that the victim died from his stab wounds and that Mr. Twobabies acted with the requisite intent to kill. It concluded that the probative value of the evidence was not outweighed by unfair prejudice to Mr. Twobabies and admitting the evidence did not violate due process. “Even if [the defendant] did not dispute the manner of death, the state still bore the burden to convince the jury that its witnesses, both eyewitnesses and experts, provided an accurate account of events.” Thornburg v. Mullin, 422 F.3d 1113, 1129 (10th Cir. 2005). The photographs and testimony about the victim’s injuries corroborated the accounts of the other prosecution witnesses. See id. Mr. Twobabies has not shown that admission of this evidence rendered the trial fundamentally unfair or that the OCCA unreasonably applied clearly established federal law. We therefore deny a COA. -8-