Opinion ID: 2629208
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Azevedo's Identification of Rembert from Photograph

Text: Thomas argues that Azevedo should not have been allowed to identify Rembert from a photograph during trial. He contends that the State was only seeking to introduce the photograph to remind the jurors that both Rembert and I were black, our girlfriends were both white, and the victim was white[,] which made race an issue in the trial. Appellant's Pro Se Br. at 7. The State argues that Thomas has not preserved the issue of whether the photo unfairly brought race to the forefront of his trial since that was not the ground upon which he objected at trial. The basis for the objection actually made at trial was a lack of foundation for the photograph, which was overruled because Azevedo testified that the photo accurately portrayed how Rembert appeared in March 1998. The State is correct that Thomas has not preserved the issue of whether the photograph injected race into the trial. We find that Thomas has waived this issue on appeal.