Opinion ID: 2124098
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony was relevant.

Text: Although Toft is qualified as an expert, McCord asserts that Toft's comparison testimony and use of overlays were irrelevant and therefore, inadmissible under SDCL 19-12-2. As noted earlier, Toft testified with expertise on similarities and differences in facial identification, emphasizing how and why eyewitness descriptions of suspects can be inaccurate, especially concerning facial hair. Relevance is the precursor to the admittance of any evidence. State v. Phillips, 489 N.W.2d 613, 617 (S.D.1992); State v. Grooms, 399 N.W.2d 358, 361 (S.D. 1987), rev'd on other grounds, 923 F.2d 88 (8th Cir.1991). Evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence is relevant. SDCL 19-12-1; State v. McDonald, 421 N.W.2d 492, 494 (S.D.1988). After testifying that people generally miss facial hair and other features, Toft placed overlays of a mustache and hairline similar to McCord's on the composite drawing to show how the suspect would look had Reimnitz described such characteristics. At no time, however, did Toft testify or insinuate that McCord was the person depicted in the composite sketch. Granted, the mustache and hair were drawn to look like McCord's, but we observe that all other properties of the sketch remained the same and that the jury was fully aware, per instruction, that the overlays were for comparative purposes only. Deputy Toft's comparison testimony was clearly relevant concerning the testimony identifying McCord as having been at the robbery scene. We rely on the Connecticut authority cited earlier herein to support the relevance of the comparison evidence as a whole. As to the specific use of the overlays, they were relevant to Toft's position concerning the significant differences and similarities between the sketch and the photograph. Any evidence that tends to connect McCord to the offense charged is thus relevant. State v. Brings Plenty, 459 N.W.2d 390, 398 (S.D.1990). We, therefore, find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding this testimony as relevant.