Opinion ID: 1749058
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: analysis

Text: Evidence must be relevant to be admissible. In Missouri, the general rule is that relevance is two-tiered: logical and legal. State v. Anderson, 76 S.W.3d 275, 276 (Mo. banc 2002) (internal citations omitted). Evidence is logically relevant if it tends to make the existence of a material fact more or less probable. Id. But logically relevant evidence is only admissible if it is legally relevant. Id. Legal relevance weighs the probative value of the evidence against its costsunfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, misleading the jury, undue delay, waste of time, or cumulativeness. Id. (citing State v. Sladek, 835 S.W.2d 308, 314 (Mo. banc 1992)). Accordingly, logically relevant evidence is excluded if its prejudice outweighs its probative value. Here, the evidence was both material and relevant. The jury in the penalty phase of a trial for capital murder must consider statutory aggravating circumstances, including evidence that the murder was committed while the offender was engaged in the commission or attempted commission of another unlawful homicide. Section 565.032.2(2). Dr. Costin, the pathologist who examined Stephen Rainwater's body, described the injuries Stephen sustained, including the location and extent of the gunshot wound. This evidence was material to demonstrate the cause of Stephen's death and to corroborate testimony that he was found lying motionless on the ground. And the precision of the wound and its location in Stephen's head supported the State's evidence that Debbie's murder was part of a plan. Anderson argues that, even if the evidence was material, its prejudicial effect outweighed its probative value and it was unnecessary because Stephen's death was already proven by a certified copy of Anderson's conviction for that crime. Anderson points to the graphically violent nature of the testimony. The testimony was a description by Dr. Costin of what he saw while performing an autopsy on Stephen. The jury heard evidence from several witnesses about events on the night of the murders, including the shooting of Stephen. Anderson himself testified about shooting Stephen and about his anger toward the Rainwaters that motivated the murders. There is nothing in the record, nor does Anderson point to any facts that suggest that Dr. Costin's testimony prejudicially affected the outcome in favor of a finding for the death penalty. Furthermore, the State must prove each aggravating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt. Section 565.032.1; State v. Gill, 167 S.W.3d at 193. The state, because it must shoulder the burden of proving the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, should not be unduly limited in its quantum of proof. State v. Smith, 32 S.W.3d 532, 546 (Mo. banc 2000) (holding that linoleum bearing a message written by the victim in blood was admissible during the guilt phase of trial even though the defendant admitted to being the attacker). The evidence about Stephen's death was material and relevant, and the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the testimony.