Opinion ID: 2613184
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Beatty's Pants

Text: Libby argues that the district court erred in allowing the jury to see Beatty's bloodstained, malodorous pants. The State wished to show the jury that a belt loop on the pants was torn when Libby removed Beatty's keys from the loop. Libby contends the pants lacked probative value and were unduly prejudicial because they unnecessarily inflamed the passions of the jury. The indictment alleged that Libby robbed Beatty by taking Beatty's keys from his person or in his presence. At trial, both Beatty's ex-wife and his former mother-in-law testified that Beatty usually kept his keys on a belt loop on his pants. Therefore, the pants were relevant to support the State's theory that Libby robbed Beatty by yanking Beatty's car keys from a belt loop on his pants. The district court allowed the State to submit the pants, on the condition that the jury would not take them back into the jury room and that Agent Milby would only show them from the witness chair. In light of the pants' relevance and the fact that the jury was allowed to see the pants only from a distance, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding that the pants' probative value outweighed any prejudicial effect. See NRS 48.035.