Opinion ID: 2546480
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Did the Trial Court Abuse its Discretion in Admitting into Evidence Photographs of the Murder Victim?

Text: Buehler-May's next argument is that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting numerous pictures of the victim's body. He contends these pictures were gruesome, overly repetitious, and served only to inflame the jury. He also contends their probative value was limited because the cause of death was not disputed. Buehler-May lodged a contemporaneous objection to the introduction of some of the photographs but not others. Where the defendant did not object to the admission of a photograph, he or she has failed to preserve the issue for appellate review. K.S.A. 60-404; State v. Sims, 262 Kan. 165, 169-70, 936 P.2d 779 (1997) (failure to object to admission of evidence at trial court level precludes review by appellate court). Furthermore, there is no merit to his argument. In Cavaness, this court stated the rules applicable to appellate review of the admission of photographs into evidence: Generally, all relevant evidence is admissible. K.S.A. 60-407(f). Relevant evidence is defined as `evidence having any tendency in reason to prove any material fact.' K.S.A. 60-401(b). As we recently stated: `Photographs depicting the extent, nature, and number of wounds inflicted are generally relevant in a murder case. Photographs which are relevant and material in assisting the jury's understanding of medical testimony are admissible. Specifically, photographs which aid a pathologist in explaining the cause of death are admissible. Photographs used to prove the manner of death and the violent nature of the crime are relevant and admissible.' [ State v. Parker, 277 Kan. 838, Syl. ¶ 5, 89 P.3d 622 (2004)]. Cavaness, 278 Kan. at 477. Exhibit 5 is a photograph of the victim's face; Alisha Gray identified the victim from this picture. Crime scene investigator Kim Crockett testified about exhibits 60 through 75. Exhibits 60 through 62, which are photographs not at issue in Cavaness, are aerial photographs of the underwater rescue team as it recovered the victim's tarp-wrapped body from the river. Exhibits 63 through 67 showed the way the body was wrapped in a tarp with bricks attached, and exhibits 68 through 75 showed how the body was bound and a plastic bag placed over his head. The remaining exhibits were autopsy photographs which showed the different injuries to the victim's head. In Cavaness, Buehler-May's codefendant's appeal, this court considered the same arguments with regard to the same photographs (except exhibits 60 through 62 which were not at issue in Cavaness ) and determined that all of the photographs were relevant because they showed the violent nature of the victim's death, aided the medical examiner in explaining the cause of death, and provided evidence of premeditation, a contested element of the crime. Cavaness, 278 Kan. at 477-78. Furthermore, we note that all of the pictures were relevant to corroborate the testimony of witnesses. In his brief, Buehler-May contends that the cause of death was not disputed. However, even where a defendant concedes the cause of death, the prosecution still bears the burden of proving all of the elements of the crime charged. State v. Groschang, 272 Kan. 652, 667, 36 P.3d 231 (2001). Furthermore, the cause of death was at issue in this case where there was testimony that Buehler-May snapped the victim's neck and conflicting evidence that the victim's neck was not broken and that he had died of multiple head injuries instead. The cause of death was also important because the defense contested the element of premeditation. All of the complained-of photographs were relevant. However, as discussed in Cavaness, there is an additional consideration because, even though the photographs are relevant, we have recognized that the trial court has discretion to exclude relevant evidence. While the admission of gruesome photographs is rarely held to be an abuse of discretion, this court has done so in cases where the probative value was slight and the prejudicial effect great (other grounds for a mistrial were present). State v. Harris, 259 Kan. 689, 710, 915 P.2d 758 (1996). An abuse of discretion may be reached if the admitted photographs were unduly repetitious and cumulative or their introduction was solely for the purpose of prejudice. State v. Spears, 246 Kan. 283, 286, 788 P.2d 261 (1990). State v. Deal, 271 Kan. 483, 493, 23 P.3d 840 (2001). In Cavaness, we determined that the trial court had not abused its discretion in admitting the same photographs which were admitted in this case. Cavaness, 278 Kan. at 478. Buehler-May, who has the burden to establish the abuse of discretion (See State v. Bey, 270 Kan. 544, 546, 17 P.3d 322 [2001]), presents no argument which would lead to a different result in this case. Furthermore, the photographs which were admitted in this case but not disputed as part of Cavaness' appeal, exhibits 60 through 62, are aerial photographs which are not gruesome or unduly cumulative. Buehler-May has failed to establish error in the rulings to introduce the photographs into evidence.