Opinion ID: 1986196
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: the videotape recording of the excavation of the bodies of the brendel family

Text: The defendant moved in limine to exclude the admission of a redacted videotape of the excavation of the bodies of the three members of the Brendel family. The trial justice denied the motion, citing State v. Bowden, 113 R.I. 649, 658, 324 A.2d 631, 637 (1974), cert. denied, 419 U.S. 1109, 95 S.Ct. 782, 42 L.Ed.2d 805 (1975), in which we stated that a photograph of a murder victim is admissible as long as it is competent evidence to prove a material fact in issue and not offered solely for the purpose of arousing the passions of the jury. The court further pointed out in that case that if these conditions are satisfied, the evidence is admissible even though the photograph may be unpleasant or may have an influence beyond the strict limits or purpose for which it was introduced. Id. at 658, 324 A.2d at 637. In this case the videotape of the excavation was concededly relevant to establish the death of Ernest, Alice, and Emily Brendel and the fashion in which their bodies had been interred in a shallow grave. In State v. Bertram, 591 A.2d 14 (R.I. 1991), a photograph of the body of a sixteen-year-old girl who had been stuffed into a large hollow box serving as a luggage rack at a Holiday Inn was admitted into evidence. Id. at 16, 22. The photograph was taken a number of days after her death and some decomposition of the body had occurred. In passing upon the admissibility of this photograph, we held that it was relevant and that its probable probative value outweighed the danger of unfair prejudice. We stated that in order for a photograph to be unduly prejudicial, it must be of such a nature as to inflame the jurors and therefore prejudice them beyond the ordinary prejudice that is always sustained by the introduction of relevant evidence intended to prove guilt. Id. at 23 (quoting State v. Fenner, 503 A.2d 518, 526 (R.I. 1986)). In the case at bar no question exists that the videotape was unpleasant to view. The bodies were in such condition that it required the commentary of Sergeant Michael Quinn to describe the bodies as they were excavated. The trial justice concluded that various aspects of the videotape were completely relevant to the state's case, including matters bearing on the life-without-parole aspect of the crime. He further concluded, I find that these films are not so inflammatory as to outweigh the probative value, therefore, I'm going to allow the exhibit in. In making this finding, the trial justice did not err. Our test has been that unduly prejudicial evidence or prosecutorial comment is such that it so inflames the passions of the jurors as to prevent their ability to consider the evidence of the case impartially. See State v. Brown, 522 A.2d 208, 211 (R.I. 1987). In finding that the relevancy of the evidence outweighed its prejudicial effect, the trial justice did not commit any abuse of discretion. See State v. Ware, 524 A.2d 1110, 1113 (R.I. 1987).