Opinion ID: 2061073
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Photographs and Slides

Text: At trial, emergency room nurse Susan Keenan testified that she photographed the injuries on March 1, 1984, after Henry arrived at the hospital's emergency room. The State offered into evidence State's exhibits 1-6, photographs of the victim taken on March 1, 1984. Keenan identified State's exhibits 7-10 as photographs of Henry in the surgical intensive care unit taken March 3, 1984. State's exhibit 11, slides 1-5 and 8-16, depict him on March 1, 1984, in the emergency room, while slides 6 and 7 portray the victim in the autopsy room. Slides 1-16 (excluding slides 3, 8, and 13, which were not admitted into evidence) were employed by Dr. Arthur Jay, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, during his testimony describing his autopsy findings. The defendant recognizes the general rule that the admission of photographs is within the sound discretion of the trial court and will not be disturbed absent abuse of that discretion. Thompson v. State (1986), Ind., 492 N.E.2d 264. However, the defendant argues in this appeal, as she did at trial, that the admission of State's exhibits 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, slides 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16, by the trial court was cumulative, irrelevant and prejudicial. We disagree. Admissibility of photographs is dependent upon their relevance, and relevance is determined by whether a witness would be permitted to describe what the photograph depicts. Boyd v. State (1986), Ind., 494 N.E.2d 284, cert. denied (1987), 479 U.S. 1046, 107 S.Ct. 910, 93 L.Ed.2d 860. Autopsy photographs that are illustrative of witness testimony and that tend to prove the cause of death are also admissible under the above principle. Walker v. State (1980), 274 Ind. 197, 409 N.E.2d 626. When various photographs are used to demonstrate evidence that is properly admitted when described verbally, the fact that they are cumulative to some extent does not bar their admission. Watkins v. State (1988), Ind., 528 N.E.2d 456. To ascertain the prejudicial nature of photographs, the trial court must balance the probative value of the evidence against its potential to inflame the jury. The trial court's decision will not be disturbed absent a showing of clear error. Fine v. State (1986), Ind., 490 N.E.2d 305. The exhibits objected to by the defendant served to explain the testimony offered at trial. The exhibits facilitated the jury's understanding of the nature and extent of Henry's injuries. Our review reveals no abuse of discretion by the trial court in the admission of these exhibits.