Opinion ID: 1896204
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Use of Demonstrative Aid

Text: In this next issue, Chamberlain attacks the State's use of a demonstrative aid during Amanda Ingman's direct examination. At trial, Ingman testified that on the night of the murders she witnessed the defendant holding a weapon with a flat black handle. At the State's request and over defense objection, the trial court allowed a plainclothes police officer to display an asp to Ingman to aid her in describing the weapon she had seen to the jury. Ingman testified that the weapon she saw the defendant hold on the evening of the murders was smaller than the one displayed to her by the police officer. The standard for allowing demonstrative evidence at trial was recently reiterated by this Court in Harris v. State, 843 So.2d 856, 863 (Fla.2003), wherein we stated: Demonstrative evidence is admissible only when it is relevant to the issues in the case.... [I]t is essential, in every case where demonstrative evidence is offered, that the object or thing offered for the jury to see be first shown to be the object in issue and that it is in substantially the same condition as at the pertinent time, or that it is such a reasonably exact reproduction or replica of the object involved that when viewed by the jury it causes them to see substantially the same object as the original. The person offering such evidence should be required to give a good reason for its acceptance into evidence, and this is particularly true if the object be not the original, but only a replica or a facsimile. Id. (quoting Alston v. Shiver, 105 So.2d 785, 791 (Fla.1958)). The determination as to whether to allow the use of a demonstrative exhibit is a matter within the trial court's discretion. Brown v. State, 550 So.2d 527, 528 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989); see also Heath v. State, 648 So.2d 660, 664 (Fla.1994) (stating that trial court has broad discretion to determine relevance of evidence). We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the demonstration in this case. Chamberlain's possession of a weapon on the evening of the murders was relevant, as it tended to show his level of involvement in the crimes. Moreover, the demonstrative aid was not admitted into evidence, and the State did not claim that it was the same weapon used in the murders. The State claimed only that it was similar. See Wade v. State, 204 So.2d 235, 238-39 (Fla. 2d DCA 1967) (approving admission of object similar but not identical to object used in crime). Further, Ingman was subject to cross-examination on the extent to which the weapon resembled the object she had seen in Chamberlain's possession the night of the murders. However, Chamberlain points out that later in the trial, the State actually introduced into evidence a seven-and-a-half-inch friction-lock baton, or asp, that was recovered three days after the murder. At a bench conference, defense counsel renewed his objection to the prior demonstration, arguing: Apparently, it's going to be the State's position now that if Mr. Chamberlain had a baton or anything in his hand that Exhibit 154 is going to be the item that he had. Based on that and that this exhibit has been placed into evidence and based on the demonstration that I objected to yesterday and the demonstration which was performed, which is an item substantially larger than this Exhibit 154, I renew my objection at this time and am moving for a mistrial. .... It's substantially smaller in width, length, and weight than what was shown yesterday and looks substantially less ominous than what  The trial court denied the motion for mistrial. Chamberlain argues on appeal that the trial court's ruling was erroneous because, by comparison with the smaller asp, the larger asp used as a demonstrative aid had a shocking impact on the jury which prejudiced him. We disagree. A ruling on a motion for a mistrial is within the sound discretion of the trial court and should be granted only when it is necessary to ensure that the defendant receives a fair trial. Rivera, 859 So.2d at 512 (internal quotation marks omitted). Although we question the State's approach in using the larger sized asp as a demonstrative aid instead of the original weapon that was available during Ingman's testimony, the fact that the jury saw the larger weapon in this case did not deprive Chamberlain of a fair trial. We reach this conclusion because, notwithstanding the fact that the weapon introduced into evidence was actually smaller than the demonstrative aid, the jury was not misled or confused in any way. See Robinson v. State, 145 So.2d 561, 562 (Fla. 3d DCA 1962) (finding no error in admission of model of murder weapon that did not appear to confuse or mislead the jury). Ingman had previously testified that the asp used as the demonstrative aid was larger than what she had seen Chamberlain holding, and both Thibault and Dascott subsequently identified the smaller weapon as identical to what Chamberlain had possessed. Moreover, the State never made use of the demonstrative aid other than during Ingman's testimony. Thus, in this case, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for mistrial.