Opinion ID: 1389618
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: admissibility of the photograph

Text: The appellant contends that the trial court erred by admitting a photograph of the victim. The photo shows the face of the victim, the gag, and blood on the gag that apparently came from the victim's mouth. Appellant contends the photograph was inflammatory and without probative value. To be admissible, a photograph must be relevant to an issue in the case, and its probative value must outweigh the danger of prejudice. State v. Chapple, 135 Ariz. 281, 288, 660 P.2d 1208, 1215 (1983). We will not upset the trial court's decision absent a clear abuse of discretion. Id. at 290, 660 P.2d at 1217. In Chapple we stated that the fact and cause of death are always relevant in a murder prosecution. Id. at 288, 660 P.2d at 1215. In the present case, therefore, the photo was relevant. We also stated in Chapple that unless the question the photograph tends to prove or disprove is actually contested, the photograph generally would not be admissible. See id. In the present case a contested issue was the identity of the perpetrator; the photograph, by showing the gag technique, helped demonstrate a modus operandi and therefore helped establish the identity of the perpetrator. Nevertheless, the matters illustrated in the photograph were cumulative of uncontroverted testimony. We find, therefore, that the photograph had little probative value. See id. at 289, 660 P.2d at 1216. We also conclude, however, that the photograph was not gruesome and therefore not unfairly prejudicial: the photograph was a 3 1/2 X 5 picture of the victim's face with a gag around the mouth and with some blood on the gag that apparently came from the victim's mouth. The picture does not show the result of any violence to the victim except the gag around the mouth. The trial court did not abuse its discretion.