Opinion ID: 1667377
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Chain of custody of evidence

Text: Mr. Bowen contends it was error for the Trial Court to allow the State to introduce into evidence the clothing he was wearing when he was arrested on September 19, 1990. The State introduced the clothing during the testimony of Dale Arnold, an investigator for the Arkansas State Police who was in charge of gathering the physical evidence of the crime. In essence, Mr. Bowen argues that the clothes were not properly shown to have been his because the State failed to establish a chain of custody prior to their introduction. The purpose of establishing a chain of custody is to prevent the introduction of evidence which is not authentic. Gomez v. State, 305 Ark. 496, 809 S.W.2d 809 (1991). To prove authenticity the State must show a reasonable probability that the evidence has not been altered in any significant way. Id. It is not necessary for the State to call every person who could conceivably have come into contact with the evidence; the Trial Court in his or her discretion need only be satisfied that the evidence presented is genuine and the reasonable probability is that no one has tampered with it. Phills v. State, 301 Ark. 265, 783 S.W.2d 348 (1990); Lewis v. State, 307 Ark. 260, 819 S.W.2d 689 (1991). Mr. Arnold testified he received the clothes from Tom Hall, the jailer at the Phillips County Jail who booked Mr. Bowen. It is reasonable to conclude that, as Mr. Hall admitted Mr. Bowen into the jail, it was he who received the clothing once Mr. Bowen changed into a prison uniform. Under these circumstances, the possibility of tampering was shown to be minimal, and it cannot be said that the Trial Court abused his discretion.