Opinion ID: 160828
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Henrys' Reactions

Text: 42 Mr. Magleby argues that the evidence of what he characterizes as the Henrys' extended and delayed reactions is irrelevant and highly prejudicial because it did not pertain to their reaction at the time of the incident. He also argues that the district court erred in admitting photographs of security measures taken by Mr. Henry. Additionally he argues that the district court erred in admitting a baseball bat and testimony that the Henrys' eleven-year-old son slept with it for protection following the cross-burning. Mr. Magleby objected only to the admission of the photographs and the baseball bat itself, so we review the admission of this evidence for abuse of discretion and the remainder for plain error. Mills, 194 F.3d at 1113. 43 As we discussed above, evidence of the victims' reactions to a cross-burning is probative of the defendant's intent under 18 U.S.C. 241. The Henrys' reactions contained in the record begin immediately with their discovery of the burning cross in their yard and continue through the following days. Because the threat communicated by the burning cross did not disappear once the cross was extinguished, the Henrys' reactions in the days following the cross-burning are relevant to their ongoing perception of that threat. We therefore find no plain error in the admission of the testimony regarding the Henrys' reactions. 44 The reactions of the Henrys include the security measures taken by Mr. Henry. The government offered eight photographs as illustrative aids to Mr. Henry's testimony regarding the security measures he had taken. Furthermore, the photographs are not cumulative. Evidence is cumulative if repetitive, and if the small increment of probability it adds may not warrant the time spent in introducing it. United States v. Davis, 40 F.3d 1069, 1076 (10th Cir. 1994) (citations and internal quotations marks omitted). The district court reviewed the photographs and determined that each photograph shows a different security measure taken by Mr. Henry following the cross-burning. Because they aided the jury in understanding Mr. Henry's relevant testimony and are not cumulative, we find that the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the photographs into evidence. 45 The Henrys' biracial son was also a victim of the cross-burning. He lived at the home with his parents. His reactions, like those of his parents, are probative of Mr. Magleby's intent. His testimony that he carried and slept with a baseball bat for protection is certainly relevant to his reaction to the cross-burning. We find no plain error in the admission of this testimony. Furthermore, the baseball bat itself is illustrative of that testimony. We find, therefore, that the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the baseball bat into evidence.