Opinion ID: 2187830
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: It was Joh-

Text: Appellant concedes that the message It was Joh- is logically relevant because it identifies appellant as the person who attacked Brandie Kearnes. Appellant contends, nevertheless, that the linoleum bearing the message should not have been admitted because appellant admitted that he was the person who attacked Brandie Kearnes, thereby making it unnecessary to produce evidence of the attacker's identity. The message, in appellant's view, became more prejudicial than probative once appellant admitted to being Brandie Kearnes's and Wayne Hoewing's killer. Appellant's argument is not persuasive. The state must prove all of the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution could not be certain that appellant would admit that he was the person who attacked Brandie once the defense began to present its case. Defense counsel reserved its opening argument, and although appellant argues that his defense was clear from witness endorsements and a doctor's reports presented to the prosecution before trial, it remains the state's burden to establish all essential elements of a crime without relying on a defendant's extrajudicial admissions, statements or confessions. City of Albany v. Crawford, 979 S.W.2d 574, 575 (Mo.App.1998). Although the fact that the message was written in blood makes the evidence potentially more prejudicial than other, less graphic evidence, defendants are not prejudiced by the fact that graphic evidence is a consequence of brutal actions. Feltrop, 803 S.W.2d at 11. The evidence was more probative than prejudicial. The trial court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted it. Appellant cites several cases for the proposition that, because appellant perhaps planned to admit his identity when the defense submitted its case, introduction of the written messages was not strictly necessary. These cases are distinguishable. Three of these cases involved the introduction of other crimes evidence. State v. Conley, 873 S.W.2d 233 (Mo. banc 1994); State v. Bernard, 849 S.W.2d 10 (Mo. banc 1993); State v. Collins, 669 S.W.2d 933 (Mo. banc 1994). In cases involving evidence of other crimes, there is a danger that the jury will take into account the defendant's propensity to commit crime, a characteristic that is not strictly relevant to any fact in issue. Bernard, 849 S.W.2d at 17. There was no such danger presented in this case, where the evidence was introduced to show that appellant was in fact the killer. It cannot, therefore, be said that the messages written on the linoleum were so prejudicial that the trial court should have excluded them. Appellant also cites State v. Revelle, 957 S.W.2d 428 (Mo.App.1997). Revelle stands for the proposition that hearsay is admissible when it relates to an issue in the case. There is no conflict between Revelle and this case. As has already been explained, the identity of the killer was an issue that the state needed to prove when the messages were offered into evidence. It was not, therefore, an abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court to admit them.