Opinion ID: 852687
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Failure to Object to Admission of a Photograph

Text: Petitioner claims his counsel should have objected to the introduction of State's Exhibit 18. That exhibit consisted of two photographs of Grinstead with his chest and back exposed. The photographs show that Grinstead has numerous tattoos, among which are a Confederate flag and two swastikasone on his right bicep and one on his left hand. The State used the photographs with several witnesses for identification purposes, though the jury saw them only once. Grinstead says these photographs served no purpose but to portray Grinstead in an unfavorable light and taint the jury's view of him. (Br. Pet'r.-Appellant at 18.) Post-conviction counsel seems right about that, but in light of the fact that Grinstead sat through trial in front of the jury with a swastika on his left hand, we think it plausible that trial counsel considered the matter relatively unimportant.