Opinion ID: 1919690
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The trial court erred in admitting an unnecessary autopsy photograph.

Text: One photograph of Biggert, Exhibit 2, was introduced at trial despite Davis' objections that the picture was inadmissible under McNeal v. State, 551 So.2d 151 (Miss. 1989). This photograph, which is in color, shows Bobby Joe Biggert's body on the coroner's table and depicts the bullet entrance wound to the left front of his head and the bruising around Biggert's eyelids caused by the kinetic energy the bullet created when it entered Biggert's skull cavity. The submission of this photograph to the jury, Davis argues, constitutes reversible error. The law concerning admission of photographs is stated as follows: It is well settled that admission of photographs into evidence rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. Ladner v. State, 584 So.2d 743, 753-54 (Miss. 1991) (cert den. 502 U.S. 1015, 112 S.Ct. 663, 116 L.Ed.2d 754) ( citing Marks v. State, 532 So.2d 976, 980 (Miss. 1988); McFee v. State, 511 So.2d 130, 134-35 (Miss. 1987)). Additionally, the trial court, as well as the appellate court on review, must look at Mississippi Rule of Evidence 403 which states: [A]lthough relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. This is the proper criteria for the trial court to consider in making its decision whether to admit photographs or not. Hurns contends the lower court abused its discretion in applying Rule 403, citing Sudduth v. State, 562 So.2d 67 (Miss. 1990). In Sudduth, this Court held that photographs of a murder victim should not ordinarily be admitted where the killing is not contradicted or denied, and the corpus delicti and identify of victim have been established. Id. at 70 (citing Davis v. State, 551 So.2d 165, 173; Shearer v. State, 423 So.2d 824, 827 (Miss. 1982)). The Court in Sudduth, however, went on to say that photographs of bodies may nevertheless be admitted into evidence in criminal cases where they have probative value and where they are not so gruesome or used in such a way as to be overly prejudicial or inflammatory. Hurns v. State, 616 So.2d 313, 319 (Miss. 1993). As part of the murder investigation, the body of Bobby Joe Biggert was examined by forensic pathologist, Dr. Rodrigo Galvez. Galvez testified as to the bruising found around Biggert's eyelids and identified a bullet entrance wound located on the left side of Biggert's head. Galvez testified that the gunshot fired into Biggert's head was fired at a distance greater than two feet and that the bullet wound to the head was the cause of Biggert's death. Accordingly, the photograph of Biggert's body was probative in that it showed certain injuries that were directly related to Biggert's cause of death. This photograph does not rise to the level of prejudice to the defendant that requires reversal under McNeal. Therefore, this assignment of error is without merit.