Opinion ID: 1830839
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 30

Heading: Whether the Trial Court erred on overruling the Appellant's continuing objection to Dr. Stephen Hayne's testimony concerning the sexual assault on Ashley Galloway.

Text: ¶ 169. Hughes contends that the trial court erred in permitting Dr. Stephen Hayne to testify that Galloway had been sexually assaulted, as he was not qualified to give an opinion as to whether a penetration had occurred. Dr. Hayne is the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy of Galloway. [14] During trial the State asked Dr. Hayne whether in his expert opinion penetration occurred. He testified that in his opinion it did. ¶ 170. Hughes contends, however, that because Dr. Hayne was not an expert on sexual assaults, he was not qualified to give an opinion as to whether penetration had occurred. Hughes directs this Court's attention to Goodson v. State, 566 So.2d 1142 (Miss.1990), Goforth v. City of Ridgeland, 603 So.2d 323 (Miss.1992) and Howard v. State, 701 So.2d 274 (Miss.1997). These cases are simply not applicable to the issues of this case. ¶ 171. Examining this Court's holdings, it is clear that pathologists have been qualified to testify as to penetration. See e.g. Shaffer v. State, March 19, 1998 Slip Op. 93-KA-01197-SCT ¶ 14, ___ So.2d ___, ___, 1998 WL 119892,  (Miss.1998); Evans v. State, 725 So.2d 613, 625 (Miss. 1997); Holland v. State, 705 So.2d 307, 331 (Miss.1997). Doctors have also been permitted to testify to the legal fact of penetration when the victim is still living. See Johnson v. State, 626 So.2d 631, 632 (Miss. 1993); Herrington, 690 So.2d at 1133; Willis v. State, 203 Miss. 886, 888 35 So.2d 323, 324 (1948). ¶ 172. In the instant case Dr. Hayne was giving an opinion concerning a specific type of physical injury consistent with forced penetration. As a forensic pathologist, such an opinion is well within his field of expertise, and the trial judge correctly allowed the testimony.