Opinion ID: 1209844
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Kadlec's Videotape

Text: During Kadlec's direct examination, Defendants showed a videotape depicting Kadlec's tests. The circuit court allowed the jury to view the videotape to assist the jury in understanding the principles used by Dr. Kadlec. As discussed supra, Kadlec's tests results were incompetent evidence. Thus, the videotape of Kadlec's tests was likewise incompetent and therefore inadmissible. As noted by this court in Monlux, demonstrative evidence possesses an immediacy and reality which endow[s] it with particularly persuasive effect. Monlux, 68 Haw. at 363, 714 P.2d at 933. Given the fact that the test results and therefore the videotape were inadmissible, allowing the jury to view the videotape was highly prejudicial with no real probative value. See Hawaii Rules of Evidence (HRE) Rule 403 (1985). By viewing the tape, the jury was left with the misleading visual impression that Mami could not have fallen out of the chair. Thus, the circuit court abused its discretion when it allowed the jury to view Kadlec's videotape.