Opinion ID: 1433236
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Gun's Distance From Victim

Text: At his trial, the defendant claimed his wife had possession of defendant's gun and was about to commit suicide; that he attempted to take the gun from her; and that it was discharged as they struggled over it, while deceased still had hold of it. Testimony and pictures offered at the trial tended to show the wound was clean with no evidence of powder burns around the edges and no evidence of deep powder burns. Experts at the trial claimed such would have been present if the muzzle of the gun had been within 18 inches of decedent's face. There was testimony that the face did have black peppery marks of unburned powder on it  apparently over an extensive area  which indicated, according to ballistic experts testifying at the trial, the muzzle was within a distance of approximately three and one-half feet. It is contended on behalf of appellant that since his trial and appeal, ballistic experts have been found who will testify and demonstrate from experiments that, based on the pictures and testimony introduced at defendant's trial, it is their opinion the muzzle of the gun could not have been less than one-half inch or more than one and one-half inches from decedent's face when the weapon was discharged. We set forth in our former opinion, at 389 P.2d 686, that witnesses testified to the condition of Mrs. Opie's face, saying there was an absence of powder burns or smoke which would be expected to be present if the muzzle had been within real close proximity to the face (like less than 18 inches). However, as above noted there was testimony that her face did have small particles of unburned powder on it. Defendant's present attorney did not participate in the original trial of Opie. He may be construing the original evidence differently than it was originally understood, but there was evidence before the jury from which it was entitled to determine that the muzzle of the gun was away from the face more like a distance of 18 inches to three and one-half feet than like a distance of one-half inch to one and one-half inches. This brings us to the conclusion that the trial judge was justified in denying the motion for new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence pertaining to the distance of the gun from decedent's face. An application for new trial must be denied when it does not appear the alleged newly discovered evidence would probably produce a different verdict. State v. Spears, 76 Wyo. 82, 300 P.2d 551, 565; Paseo v. State, 19 Wyo. 344, 117 P. 862, 863, See also Tobler v. State, 87 Okl. Cr. 25, 194 P.2d 202, 205; State v. Davis, 192 Or. 575, 235 P.2d 761, 762-763; and State v. Collett, 118 Mont. 473, 167 P.2d 584, 588.