Opinion ID: 2222257
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of Picture

Text: The district court allowed the state to admit a picture found in Roman Nose's bedroom that depicted a suspended human form with arms extended and stars trailing from the hands, concluding that the picture was relevant because the image on the picture was strikingly similar to the position in which the victim's body was found. Roman Nose contends that the district court erred when it admitted the picture because the picture in no way suggests that the human body pictured was a victim of sexual assault and is therefore, irrelevant to his case. Moreover, even if the picture had some minimal relevance, Roman Nose argues that its potential prejudice outweighs any probative value it may have. Evidence is relevant if it has 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. Minn. R. Evid. 401. A review of the image in the picture and a picture of the victim's body at the scene indicates that there is some similarity between the position of the body and the image of the human form suspended in the picture on Roman Nose's wall. While it is arguable whether this similarity is relevant or not, we cannot conclude that the district court's ruling that the similarity was relevant was an abuse of discretion. Relevant evidence, however, may still be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Minn. R. Evid. 403. Roman Nose contends that the probative value of the picture was outweighed by its potential prejudice because the jury could have inferred that someone who collected such pictures has the personality of a rapist or killer. However, as Roman Nose himself argued, there is no indication, in looking at the picture in isolation, that the figure depicted in the picture was the victim of sexual assault. It is only when viewed in relation to the position of Stuedemann's body that the probative value of the picture is apparent. In that context, we cannot say that the district court erred when it concluded that the probative value of the picture was not outweighed by its potential for unfair prejudice. Therefore, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it determined that the picture was admissible.
In addition to challenging the district court's admission of evidence, Roman Nose contends that the prosecutor committed misconduct by misstating key testimony and misleading the jury about inferences it could draw from the evidence during closing argument. [14] This court reviews claims of prosecutorial misconduct and will reverse only if the misconduct, when considered in light of the whole trial, impaired the defendant's right to a fair trial. State v. Powers, 654 N.W.2d 667, 678 (Minn.2003) (citing State v. Johnson, 616 N.W.2d 720, 727-28 (Minn.2000)). In determining whether prosecutorial misconduct deprived a defendant of a fair trial, there are two distinct standards. Id. In cases in which the misconduct was serious, the standard is whether the misconduct is harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. [M]isconduct is harmless beyond a reasonable doubt if the verdict rendered was surely unattributable to the error. Id. (citing State v. Hunt, 615 N.W.2d 294, 302 (Minn.2000)). In cases involving less serious misconduct, the standard is whether the misconduct likely played a substantial part in influencing the jury to convict. Id.