Opinion ID: 884910
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: issues

Text: ¶ 55 Did the District Court err when it admitted photographs of Beavers' vehicle? ¶ 56 Beavers also argues that the District Court abused its discretion when it admitted photographs of his vehicle, labeled as State's Exhibits D and E, among a series of photographs that depicted the front end of Beavers' vehicle where it came to rest against the back end of a patrol car at the culmination of the car chase. Beavers asserts that the photographs did not accurately reflect his vehicle's condition as a result of its impact with the patrol car. Instead, the photographs showed the damage done to it as a result of its previous collision. Beavers argues that State's Exhibits D and E were unduly prejudicial against him because they could cause the jury to infer that he acted dangerously on other occasions. ¶ 57 Beavers' argument is not persuasive. Prior to offering the photographs, the State elicited testimony that established that the damage to Beavers' vehicle depicted in the photographs was not caused by an impact with the patrol car. Furthermore, we conclude that the probative value of the photographs, showing the location of the vehicles at the end of the chase, outweighed any prejudicial effect. Cf. State v. McKeon (1997), 282 Mont. 397, 404, 938 P.2d 643, 647; State v. Henry (1990), 241 Mont. 524, 531, 788 P.2d 316, 320 (citing State v. Grant (1986), 221 Mont. 122, 136, 717 P.2d 562, 572). ¶ 58 Once again, we conclude that the District Court did not err.