Opinion ID: 2119796
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: competency of commonwealth's evidence.

Text: In addition to introducing the crime scene evidence, the Commonwealth proved the cause of death through the testimony of the pathologist who conducted the postmortem examination of Faulconer's body. At the conclusion of the Commonwealth's case, Appellant moved for a directed verdict of acquittal because the crime scene evidence was presented by witnesses other than the coroner, and proof of cause of death came from a witness other than the coroner. He relies on KRS 72.020(2): The coroner shall take possession of any objects, medical specimens, or articles which, in his opinion, may be helpful in establishing the cause of death, and he can make or cause to be made such tests and examinations of said objects as may be necessary or useful in determining the cause of death. In the event that a criminal prosecution arises, all such objects and articles together with reports of any examination made upon them, shall be retained by the coroner until their production in evidence is required by the prosecuting authority, unless otherwise directed by written order of the court in which such prosecution is pending. Manifestly, this statute is not a rule of evidence. To the extent that it imposes duties on the coroner, any violation of those duties does not affect the admission of relevant, competent, and properly identified evidence at a homicide trial. Even if it could be argued that the evidence at trial was obtained by the police in violation of KRS 72.020(2), such would not require its exclusion. Brock v. Commonwealth, Ky., 947 S.W.2d 24, 29 (1997) (exclusionary rule applies only to evidence obtained in violation of a constitutional right). Finally, Appellant did not register a contemporaneous objection to any of this evidence at the time it was introduced. KRE 103(a)(1); RCr 9.22. This claim is as meritless as it is novel.