Opinion ID: 1316643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Photographs of appellant with scratches

Text: Appellant contends three photographs of him which depicted scratches on his back and arms were erroneously admitted. We disagree. Appellant objected on the ground of relevance pursuant to Rule 403, SCRE. Evidence is relevant if it tends to make more or less probable a fact in issue. Whether evidence is relevant in a criminal prosecution is an issue within the trial judge's discretion. State v. McWee, 322 S.C. 387, 472 S.E.2d 235 (1996). Relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Rule 403, SCRE. Anderson testified that appellant ran from the murder scene through the woods back to his home. Following an in camera hearing, the trial judge ruled whether appellant received these scratches running through the woods from the crime scene back to his home went to the weight of the evidence and not its admissibility. Accordingly, the pictures were relevant and their probative value was not outweighed by any unfair prejudice. State v. Asbury, 328 S.C. 187, 493 S.E.2d 349 (1997) (because victim's hands and feet were bound with cut electrical cord, testimony concerning appliances and severed electrical cords found at defendant's home was relevant and probative value of testimony was not outweighed by danger of unfair prejudice). Furthermore, whether the scratches were fresh or not merely goes to the weight of the evidence not its admissibility. State v. Sullivan, 277 S.C. 35, 282 S.E.2d 838 (1981) (arguments raised by appellant go toward weight of evidence not its admissibility on whether or not evidence was left by appellant at crime scene). Accordingly, we find no error.