Opinion ID: 1865898
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Testimony of Stormo's Sister.

Text: Defendants argue that the testimony of Stormo's sister Tracy (Stormo) West was cumulative, and that it was an abuse of the trial court's discretion to permit such testimony. It is contended that by permitting numerous witnesses to testify about Stormo's pain and suffering during the thirteen days she was hospitalized, the jury was unduly influenced by sympathy and passion. See SDCL 19-12-3. During trial, defendants objected to this testimony as cumulative but their objection was overruled. Cumulative evidence is evidence of the same character as evidence previously produced and which supports the same point. State v. DeMarias, 27 S.D. 303, 308, 130 N.W. 782, 784 (1911). See State v. Gerdes, 258 N.W.2d 839 (S.D.1977). After reviewing the testimony presented, we conclude that Tracy (Stormo) West's testimony was not cumulative. Tracy's testimony was brief and referred to her observations of her sister from outside the emergency room immediately following the accident. She testified that she could hear her sister yelling in pain from the emergency room. Although Dr. Ostby and an EMT testified about Stormo's condition in the emergency room, their testimony was limited to medical observations and neither mentioned that Stormo yelled out in pain. Thus, Tracy's testimony was not cumulative and was properly admitted.