Opinion ID: 1736768
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Exclusion of demonstrative bite mark evidence

Text: The second issue we address is defendant's argument that the trial judge erred in prohibiting defendant from showing the jury photographs depicting actual bite marks. The actual bite mark pictures, depicting bite marks made by unknown biters on the bodies of various unknown victims, were part of a booklet prepared by defendant's expert. The booklet also included several pages of written materials explaining the characteristics of bite marks and several pictures of the victim in this case. Thus this issue has two levels. On one level, the issue is whether the trial judge erred in ruling the booklet itself could not be used as demonstrative evidence. On the other level, the issue is whether the judge erred in ruling the actual bite marks pictures could not be used. Defendant's argument vacillates back and forth between these two levels. At trial, the issue of whether certain wounds on the victim's body were bite marks was hotly contested. As part of its case-in-chief, the state called Dr. Reisner, a forensic odontologist, who testified that several marks on the victim's body were bite marks that with varying degrees of certainty matched defendant's dentition. In response, the defense called two of its own bite mark experts: Dr. Kirschner, a forensic pathologist, and Dr. Souviron, a forensic odontologist. Both defense experts testified that these marks on the victim's body were not bite marks. [19] During Dr. Souviron's direct examination, the defense sought to distribute to the jury the booklet that Dr. Souviron had prepared to educate them about what genuine bite marks look like. Dr. Souviron summarized his booklet's contents as follows: Generally the material is what I was given in 1996, on this case and it contains reprints from the odontology information on bite mark evaluation, terminology and standards for bite marks. It also has a section in there that has a series of bite marks of cases that I have done to show Juries what a real bite mark looks like and then a little demonstrative part in there to show them when we talk about how we identify people and what bite marks look like and how we can identify people by the class and individual characteristics. [20] In sustaining the prosecutor's objection to the defense's use of the booklet, the trial judge ruled that Dr. Souviron's testimony need[ed] to be restricted to evidence that has been presented in this case and stated: [I]f it involves information that's offered into evidence, photographs, the medical reports or what have you concerning the victim he is allowed to use that. You'll just have to take those others out.... I'm just not going to let the Jury sit with a book. Any expertmost experts have written books and things and it's just not proper for an expert to say I wrote such and such a book now here Jury, you follow this while I talk about it. I just don't accept it. But if you're going to offer the book you need to take those other photographs out. Defendant argues that this ruling deprived him of the right to present a defense. The state counters that the trial judge did not preclude the defendant from presenting a defense; rather, the trial judge allowed Dr. Souviron to testify fully as to why he opined the marks on the victim's body were not bite marks. We readily reject defendant's argument insofar as it is directed at the trial judge's refusal to allow him to use the booklet. The trial judge clearly was entitled to prohibit the defense's expert from turning his courtroom into a classroom. The issue is thus narrowed to whether the trial judge's refusal to allow defendant to use the photographs of bite marks on others (not the victim) was error. Focusing on the individual photographs at issue, defendant cites two theories in support of his argument that the trial judge's decision precluding him from using these photographs was an abuse of discretion; to wit: (i) these photographs were demonstrative evidence, and (ii) these photographs were relevant circumstantial evidence. We address these in reverse order.