Opinion ID: 2585419
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: admitting gruesome photographs

Text: Prior to trial, defense counsel filed a motion in limine to exclude certain photographs from evidence. The trial judge sustained the motion as to some photographs and denied the motion as to others. State's exhibits 16 (photograph of victim's torso, including stab wound), 17 (close-up of stab wound upon as it looked upon arrival of victim's body to the hospital), 20 (close-up of stab wound after pathologist pushed flesh back into wound), 21 (close-up of wound showing length measurement by pathologist manually closing the wound), 24 (close-up of aorta damage), 25 (clothing worn by victim), and 26 (close-up of tear in clothing worn by victim) were admitted at trial over objections by the defense. Calderon contends that the photographs had no probative value because they did not tend to prove any fact disputed at trial. He points out that the only disputed facts at trial were motive and intent, and the photographs had no bearing on these issues. The admission of photographs in a homicide case is a matter within the trial court's discretion, and the court's ruling will not be disturbed on appeal absent a showing of abuse of that discretion. [Citation omitted.] While photographs which are unduly repetitious, gruesome, and without probative value should not be admitted into evidence, demonstrative photographs are not inadmissible merely because they are gruesome and shocking where they are true reproductions of relevant physical facts and material conditions at issue. [Citation omitted.] We have held that special care should be taken in admitting photographs taken after a pathologist has intervened in order that the evidence not be more gruesome than necessary. [Citation omitted.] In State v. Boyd, 216 Kan. 373, 377-78, 532 P.2d 1064 (1975), we held that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting a photograph of the victim `laid out like a disemboweled beef in a packing plant,' where such a photograph was repetitious and cause of death was not in dispute. However, it is well settled that photographs which serve to illustrate the nature or extent of the wounds inflicted are admissible when they corroborate the testimony of witnesses or are relevant to the testimony of a pathologist as to the cause of death. [Citation omitted.] State v. Carr, 265 Kan. 608, 623, 963 P.2d 421 (1998). Exhibits 16 and 17 were used several times during the trial to corroborate or demonstrate the testimony of witnesses. An officer who responded to the call at the La Movida regarding a stabbing testified that Exhibits 16 and 17 accurately depicted the victim's wound as he noted it at the scene. The officer also affirmed that he examined the shirt depicted in Exhibit 16 and found a cut in the fabric approximately at the same location and the same length as the cut on Munoz' body. The officer testified that Exhibits 25 and 26 accurately depicted the cut he noted in the fabric of Munoz' shirt. Exhibit 16 was useful when a State's witness, a woman who administered CPR to Munoz at the scene, became confused on cross-examination about the victim's name and referred to the victim as Domingo. The State used the photograph to confirm that the person depicted in the photograph was the person she aided at the scene. Exhibits 20, 21, 24, 25, and 26 were referred to by the forensic pathologist during her testimony regarding the autopsy. Using the photographs, the pathologist explained how she arrived at conclusions regarding the type and size of the knife used to stab Munoz and the position of the person who used the knife to stab Munoz. She used Exhibit 24 to explain how the injury to the aorta resulted in the death of Munoz. The photographs admitted into evidence over the objection of the defense counsel are not gruesome beyond what is to be expected of post-mortem photographs of a person who died a violent death. The photographs were helpful in explaining and demonstrating the testimony of several witnesses. The trial judge did not abuse his discretion in admitting the photographs into evidence.