Opinion ID: 1577692
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 33

Heading: Admission of Unidentifiable Latent Fingerprints

Text: Appellant claims that the trial court improperly admitted latent fingerprint evidence collected from a storm window and a glass jar, both found at Horton's home. All six prints were analyzed but none were identified. Though defense counsel did not object to the introduction of these fingerprints, Appellant now argues that they were irrelevant because they were not identified. He also argues that their introduction improperly bolstered the Commonwealth's case. This claim is utterly without merit. The results of tests performed on fingerprints found at the crime scene are, of course, relevant to a determination of Appellant's guilt. Moreover, it also rebutted any claims of shoddy police work. Even if improperly admitted, we are unable to fathom how Appellant was prejudiced by fingerprints that were never identified as his.