Opinion ID: 1353770
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Girdle

Text: Appellant contends the trial judge erred in allowing the State to admit into evidence the woman's girdle which appellant was wearing when he was arrested. During the guilt phase, the solicitor introduced the girdle along with all of the items appellant possessed when he was arrested. Appellant objected to the admission of the girdle on the ground its prejudicial effect outweighed its probative value. A serologist testified a spot of blood had been found on the girdle but she was unable to identify its source. The solicitor argued there was blood at the crime scene and the girdle was evidence of appellant's presence at the scene. The trial court overruled appellant's objection. The admission of evidence is within the trial court's discretion and absent an abuse of this discretion will not be reversed by this Court. State v. Bailey, 276 S.C. 32, 274 S.E.2d 913 (1981). Evidence is relevant if it tends to establish or make more or less probable some matter at issue upon which it directly or indirectly bears. State v. Schmidt, 288 S.C. 301, 342 S.E.2d 401 (1986). As the girdle had blood on it and appellant was wearing it shortly after the crime was committed, it was relevant to the issue whether appellant may have been present at the crime scene. Therefore, we hold the trial court did not abuse his discretion in admitting the girdle during the guilt phase. On appeal, appellant argues the trial judge improperly allowed the jury to consider the girdle during the sentencing phase by granting the solicitor's motion to incorporate all of the evidence from the guilt phase into the sentencing phase. [2] The bifurcated proceedings of a capital case were designed to protect a defendant by preventing the State from admitting certain evidence relevant to punishment until the guilt has been decided. State v. Shaw, 273 S.C. 194, 255 S.E.2d 799 (1979). The bifurcated structure of a capital proceeding should not be used to prevent guilt phase evidence from being considered in the penalty phase. Id. at 208, 255 S.E.2d 799. [3] Since we hold the trial court did not err in admitting the girdle in the guilt phase, we find no error in its admission in the sentencing phase. Furthermore, the girdle was not the subject of any questioning or argument during the sentencing phase and, therefore, its impact, if any, was minimal.