Opinion ID: 2460227
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Pistol

Text: Testimony at trial indicated that police found a pistol protruding from the wires behind the television set. The grip of the pistol was easily seen along the wall with a downward glance as one entered the front door of the residence. Nothing had to be moved to see the pistol or to retrieve it. Nancy Johnston was so severely beaten that the cause of her death could not be determined by the officers on the scene. Given the massive quantities of blood, both in and around the house, she could well have been shotthough a later autopsy showed she was not. Since the pistol was within the plain view of the police and because they did not know whether it was used in commission of the crime, its apparently incriminating character was immediately apparent. The trial court did not err in refusing to suppress the pistol nor in admitting the pistol. The pistol corroborated Federhofer's testimony as well as police descriptions of the murder scene.