Opinion ID: 1206395
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: admission of demonstrative evidence

Text: In conjunction with his testimony relating to the positions which appellant's hands were in at the time certain finger-and palmprints were made, Sgt. Williams was allowed to utilize an actual-size diagram of the bathroom where the murder occurred. Props representing the exact height and location of the toilet seat and the top edge of the bathtub were placed in the appropriate locations on the diagram. Sgt. Williams was then permitted to place several life-size handprint impressions, which were taken from appellant, upon those areas on the props where latent finger- and palmprints were found in the actual bathroom. Appellant's counsel objected to this representation of the position of appellant's hands at the time the prints were made. Appellant contends that the display was inaccurate and misleading because it tangibly reflected the opinions of Sgt. Williams, whose testimony appellant states was premised upon guesswork and was beyond the scope of Williams's expertise. We have already disposed of this argument by deciding that the trial court properly found this opinion testimony to be within the scope of Williams's expertise. Appellant's objection to the display has thus lost whatever vitality it may have had.