Opinion ID: 1323198
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: photographs of the body

Text: Defendant argues that reversible error was committed in the introduction of three photographs taken of Stone's body during the autopsy. The trial court reviewed all of the 20 or more photographs offered and allowed only three to be used before the jury, finding that as to those three exhibits, [t]he utility of their evidence outweighs any prejudicial value that might be involved. The medical examiner used those three photographs to illustrate the damage done by the blunt force blow to the victim's chest, the bleeding into the chest cavity and the compression of the lungs which brought about Stone's death. Admissibility of photographs of the body of a murder victim is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court. Jones v. Commonwealth, 228 Va. 427, 450, 323 S.E.2d 554, 566-67 (1984), cert. denied, 472 U.S. 1012, 105 S.Ct. 2713, 86 L.Ed.2d 728 (1985); Washington v. Commonwealth, 228 Va. 535, 551, 323 S.E.2d 577, 588 (1984), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1111, 105 S.Ct. 2347, 85 L.Ed.2d 863 (1985); Clozza, 228 Va. at 135, 321 S.E.2d at 280; Stockton, 227 Va. at 144, 314 S.E.2d at 384; Peterson v. Commonwealth, 225 Va. 289, 294, 302 S.E.2d 520, 523-24, cert. denied, 464 U.S. 865, 104 S.Ct. 202, 78 L.Ed.2d 176 (1983). This is true even though they may have been taken during the autopsy. Poyner v. Commonwealth, 229 Va. 401, 417, 329 S.E.2d 815, 827, cert. denied, 474 U.S. 865, 106 S.Ct. 189, 88 L.Ed.2d 158 (1985); Bunch v. Commonwealth, 225 Va. 423, 436-37, 304 S.E.2d 271, 278, cert. denied, 464 U.S. 977, 104 S.Ct. 414, 78 L.Ed.2d 352 (1983); Clanton v. Commonwealth, 223 Va. 41, 52, 286 S.E.2d 172, 177 (1982). We find the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting these photographs.