Opinion ID: 1751934
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Photographs of Dead Body.

Text: Defendant objected to the admission in evidence of the photographs of the dead body of the victim, showing the gunshot wound. The trial judge overruled the objection and admitted the photographs. The defendant contends that these photographs had no essential evidentiary value, were gruesome, and inflamed the jury. We cannot agree that the photographs had no evidentiary value. The State is required to prove every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The photographs were relevant to show the death, the cause of the death, and the identity of the victim. Any photograph of a dead body is unpleasant. The present photographs show only the upper portion of the body and the wound. They do not appear unduly gruesome. The test of admissibility of such photographs is whether their probative value outweighs their probable prejudicial effect. State v. Maiden, 258 La. 417, 246 So.2d 810; State v. Hall, 256 La. 336, 236 So.2d 489; State v. Washington, 256 La. 233, 236 So.2d 23; State v. Morris, 245 La. 175, 157 So.2d 728. We conclude that the present photographs had sufficient probative value to warrant their admission.