Opinion ID: 1730596
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: The video tape was probative.

Text: Davis also complains that the evidence was more prejudicial than probative and should have been excluded on this basis. Miss.R.Evid. 403 is a filter through which all evidence must pass. Miss.R.Evid. 403 excludes certain relevant evidence if the prejudicial effect of the evidence substantially outweighs the probative value. We find that Miss.R.Evid. 403 does not operate to exclude the video tape in the case sub judice. Not only was the video tape relevant, it was highly probative of the Defendant's conduct. The conduct of Johnson was continuous, beginning at some time before his mother requested that a call be placed to the police department and lasting through the booking of the Defendant for assault. Due to the nature of this case, the video tape exemplifies the continuing conduct of the Defendant and firmly establishes the mental state of the Defendant. What better way could there have been for the State to prove the conduct of the Defendant than to show the video tape to the jury. With the probative value of the video tape substantially outweighing its prejudicial value, we find that the trial court properly allowed the video tape into evidence.