Opinion ID: 1772790
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: was it error to admit in evidence x-rays of old injuries?

Text: When Dr. Rodda, who performed the autopsy on Ceddrick Johnson's body, was called to testify, Johnson's lawyer asked for a bench conference which was held outside the hearing of the reporter. The record is silent as to what took place. Dr. Rodda then gave detailed testimony of the child's injuries and the cause of death. He testified that the body bore numerous and extensive injuries, of varying age, to the arms, legs, chest, face and head. He further testified that the cause of death was extensive brain damage caused by a blow to the head. At no point in the record did Johnson object to this testimony. The state then called Dr. Pollard, who had done the x-rays at the request of Dr. Rodda. Again there was a bench conference. Again the record is silent. Dr. Pollard testified as to the injuries and specifically noted that the x-rays showed some of the bones had been initially fractured and then refractured. The x-rays were then offered into evidence and Johnson's lawyer objected for the reasons already stated. The objection was overruled. No reasons had already been stated in the record. It is now claimed that before Dr. Rodda testified Johnson objected to any testimony of old injuries, injuries that did not contribute to the death, and injuries that were not proved to have been inflicted by Johnson. It is further claimed that similar objections were made prior to Dr. Pollard's testimony. The record is silent on these objections. We may read a record and rule upon what it contains. That is why records are made. One who fails to utilize the record when it is being made will be without its protection on appeal. We may not speculate upon nor consider matters not in the record. Harris v. State, 386 So.2d 393, 396 (Miss. 1980). We are assured that these objections were preserved through the office of a bill of exceptions, but no such bill was found. Nonetheless, we will treat the assignments as though they were properly before us for the benefit of the bench and bar. In Cardwell v. State, 461 So.2d 754 (Miss. 1984), parents were convicted of murder for the death of their child. Testimony was admitted of events which occurred prior to the date of the crime charged. The testimony tended to establish that the child had previously been subjected to abuse. The Court stated the general rule that other crimes are inadmissible to show commission of the crime charged and then set out the exceptions to the rule, as follows: Evidence of other crimes, for example, is admissible to prove motive, intent, the absence of mistake or accident, a common scheme or plan embracing the commission of two or more crimes so related to each other that proof of one tends to establish the others, or the identity of the persons charged with the commission of the crime on trial. Readus [v. State], 272 So.2d [659] at 661 ([Miss]. 1973). Id. at 759. The Court cited Aldridge v. State, 398 So.2d 1308 (Miss. 1981), which was a child abuse case where there was testimony and x-rays by medical experts concerning injuries of the child which tended to establish previous abuse. The Court noted that in Aldridge it was held that evidence of prior acts was admissible in a felonious child abuse case to negate the idea that the injuries resulted from an isolated accident. The Cardwell Court concluded that such evidence was likewise admissible where death results and the prosecution is one for murder. Id. at 759, 760 (citations omitted). The Court did point out that the admissibility is subject to proof demonstrating that the defendant committed the prior offense. Id. at 760. One of the cases cited for this proposition is United States v. Colvin, 614 F.2d 44 (5th Cir.1980). In that case, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals said that such proof was a predicate to the determination that the extrinsic evidence is relevant. 614 F.2d at 45. That court went on to determine that a sufficient predicate had been laid in light of the evidence that showed the appellant was in exclusive control of the children prior to the time the injuries occurred and in light of the expert medical testimony contradicting her version of accidental causes. Johnson testified that she had been drinking that day. She entered her apartment with Ceddrick in her arms and proceeded to his bedroom where she collapsed. She testified that the fall, in conjunction with a previous accidental fall, was the cause of death. She further testified that no one else was in her apartment that day except herself, Ceddrick and her other three children. The testimony at trial established that though other people had kept Ceddrick, he had predominantly been with Johnson for approximately a month prior to his death. Both doctors' testimony discounted Johnson's version of accidental causes. The evidence was admissible to negate the idea that death resulted from an isolated accident.