Opinion ID: 1855720
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the trial court committed error in admitting the radar evidence.

Text: ¶ 6. The admission of evidence is largely within the discretion of the trial court, and we will reverse only where there has been an abuse of discretion. The discretion of the trial court must be exercised within the boundaries of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence. McIlwain v. State, 700 So.2d 586, 590 (Miss.1997). ¶ 7. Stidham asserts that the State failed to lay the proper predicate for the admission of the radar reading. Specifically, he contends that the State offered no proof as to the accuracy of the radar device. This issue is one of first impression in this State. Since we have no decision of this Court directly on point, we look for guidance to analogous cases in this State and cases in other jurisdictions which have passed on this question. ¶ 8. In McIlwain v. State, 700 So.2d 586 (Miss.1997), the defendant asserted that the State failed to lay the proper predicate for the admission of an intoxilizer test result. There we found that a showing of accuracy of the intoxilizer is a condition precedent to admissibility. Although McIlwain involved the accuracy of an intoxilizer while the instant case involves the accuracy of a radar device, the cases are analogous, and the rationale of McIlwain should apply here. As such, a radar device reading should be deemed admissible only upon a showing of the radar device's accuracy. See M.R.E. 901(b)(9). Cases from other jurisdictions have also consistently held that evidence of the accuracy of a radar device is a prerequisite to the admissibility of evidence of speed obtained by use of the device. See, e.g., People v. Flaxman, 74 Cal.App.3d Supp. 16, 141 Cal.Rptr. 799 (1977); State v. Tomanelli, 153 Conn. 365, 371, 216 A.2d 625 (1966); State v. Primm, 4 Kan.App.2d 314, 606 P.2d 112 (1980). ¶ 9. At trial when Glenn testified that the radar device indicated Stidham's speed at 72 mph, Stidham objected on the grounds that there was no proof as to the accuracy of the radar unit. His objection was overruled. The State then provided proof, through Glenn's testimony, that he had used a tuning fork to test the accuracy of the radar device on three occasions on the day he stopped Stidham for speeding, and that all three testings showed a good result. Glenn's testimony was supported by Lucas, who testified that he had observed Glenn testing the accuracy of the device on three occasions the day Stidham was stopped and that all tests showed the radar checked functional. Cases from other jurisdictions have found tuning forks to be acceptable means of proving radar accuracy. See, e.g., State v. Primm, 4 Kan.App.2d 314, 606 P.2d 112 (1980); State v. Mills, 99 Wis.2d 697, 299 N.W.2d 881 (1981). ¶ 10. It is also generally required that proof be offered that the operator of the radar device is qualified to operate the device. By prevailing authority, the officer need not be an expert in the science of radar or electronics. See, e.g., State v. Primm, 4 Kan.App.2d 314, 606 P.2d 112 (1980); see also Thomas J. Goger, Annotation, Proof, By Radar Or Other Mechanical Or Electronic Devices, Of Violation of Speed Regulations, 47 A.L.R.3d 822, 859 (1973). Here, Glenn testified that he had undergone sixteen weeks of training at the Highway Patrol Academy, including training in the use of the radar device. Such evidence was sufficient to establish his qualifications to operate the device. ¶ 11. In sum, the radar evidence of Stidham's speed was admissible and was legally sufficient to sustain the conviction, especially in light of Stidham's admission that he was going 62 mph. Although the radar evidence was admitted before the proper foundation was laid, adequate evidence of the device's accuracy was subsequently introduced. Accordingly, this assignment of error is without merit.