Opinion ID: 4525130
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Object to Identification Evidence

Text: At trial, the State played Silas’ recorded statement to police, in which he identified McFadden by using the photograph from the police station wall. A police officer and detective also testified Silas used the photograph to identify McFadden. These references to the photograph were not made to indicate McFadden had committed prior bad acts or uncharged crimes. There were no references to the photograph as a “wanted” photograph and no explanation was provided for the photograph’s presence. There was no evidence linking McFadden’s photograph to other crimes he may or may not have committed. See State v. Carr, 50 S.W.3d 848, 857 (Mo. App. 2001) (requiring defendant, who alleged the State’s use of the term “mug shots” and reference to photographs on file with the police department indicated prior criminal activity, to demonstrate photographs maintained by the police department were solely of persons who committed prior crimes, or that the average juror believes same, to satisfy burden of involvement in prior criminal activity); Nunn v. State, 755 S.W.2d 269, 272 (Mo. App. 1988) (finding an officer testifying he saw defendant’s photograph at roll call was not suggestion that defendant had a criminal record when there was no actual evidence of other crimes). Even if the references to the photograph on the wall demonstrated McFadden committed prior crimes, “otherwise inadmissible evidence may be admitted . . . if it tends to establish . . . the identity of the person charged with commission of the crime on trial.” State v. Primm, 347 S.W.3d 66, 70 (Mo. banc 2011). Because the references to the photograph were for the purpose of identification, there would have been no merit to an objection to the admission of this evidence. See Clay, 975 S.W.2d at 135. The circuit 11 court did not clearly err in failing to find counsel were ineffective for not objecting to the State’s presentation of evidence that Silas identified McFadden in a photograph on the wall at the police station. 2. Failure to Object to the Match of On-file Fingerprints A fingerprint examiner obtained a fingerprint from a cigar wrapper found near Victim’s body. The examiner testified that, after a comparison to prints on file in the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), he determined it was a match to McFadden’s fingerprints. “Fingerprint cards, in and of themselves, do not constitute evidence of a prior crime.” State v. Morrow, 968 S.W.2d 100, 111 (Mo. banc 1998). This Court finds the on-file fingerprints in this case to be analogous. The examiner’s testimony was neutral. He did not testify that McFadden’s fingerprints on file were obtained pursuant to an arrest, conviction of a crime, or negative interaction with law enforcement. The examiner merely testified about the procedure used. Because the evidence of the on-file fingerprint was referenced in the context of explaining the procedure for the match and did not, absent something more, raise an inference of prior criminal activity, there would have been no merit to the objection. The circuit court did not clearly err in failing to find counsel ineffective for not objecting to evidence that the fingerprint found at the murder scene matched one of McFadden’s on-file fingerprints. 12