Opinion ID: 1316643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Evidence of fire

Text: Appellant contends the trial judge erred in allowing the State to present evidence that an extinguished fire was found behind appellant's mobile home the day after the murder. Appellant contends there was no evidence retrieved from the fire and therefore any testimony about it was speculative and irrelevant. We disagree. Under Rule 401, SCRE, relevant evidence is defined as evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. Rule 402, SCRE, provides that all relevant evidence is admissible. Here, the State's theory was that appellant had destroyed some evidence by burning it. The attempted destruction of evidence is regarded as a relevant incriminating circumstance. See State v. Epes, 209 S.C. 246, 39 S.E.2d 769 (1946). Appellant's argument that there was nothing retrieved from the fire would go its weight rather than admissibility. State v. Sullivan, 277 S.C. 35, 282 S.E.2d 838 (1981) (arguments raised by appellant go toward weight of evidence not its admissibility on whether or not evidence was left by appellant at crime scene). Accordingly, we find no error.