Opinion ID: 1919806
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the circuit court erred in allowing into evidence the photographs of the victim?

Text: The prosecution introduced into evidence over the objection of both defendants pictures of the victim and the crime scene taken soon after the homicide. The trial judge excluded a portion of the pictures finding them to be cumulative or lacking in probative value. Appellants argue that all of the photographs of the victim introduced at trial were inflammatory and possessed no probative value. The trial court is granted broad discretion in ruling on the admissibility of photographs. Griffin v. State, 557 So.2d 542, 549 (Miss. 1990); McNeal v. State, 551 So.2d 151, 159 (Miss. 1989). This discretion originates from the primary test for admissibility, whether the probative value of ... [the] photographs is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Parker v. State, 514 So.2d 767, 771 n. 3 (Miss. 1986) (citing M.R.E. 403). The decision of a trial judge concerning the admissibility of photographs will not be disturbed on appeal absent a showing of an abuse of discretion. Gardner v. State, 573 So.2d 716, 718 (Miss. 1990). Photographs contain probative value when they supplement or add clarity to witness' testimony. Hughes v. State, 401 So.2d 1100, 1106 (Miss. 1981); Norman v. State, 385 So.2d 1298, 1303 (Miss. 1980). The trial judge in the present case admitted a photograph depicting a lateral view of the victim lying partly on a class ring. This photograph had evidentiary value in that it clarified the testimony of the medical examiner who explained the circumstances of finding this ring underneath the body of the victim. Photographs also have evidentiary value if they document the cause of death and the location of the victim. Ashley v. State, 423 So.2d 1311, 1316 (Miss. 1982). A frontal shot of the victim depicting a chest wound was admitted into evidence over objection of the defendants. This photograph was relevant in showing the cause of death and the surrounding circumstances of the victim's death. The trial judge also demonstrated careful decision making before admitting this exhibit by excluding a similar photograph on the grounds that it was cumulative and depicted a greater quantity of blood surrounding the area where the victim collapsed. The appellants cite Sudduth v. State, 562 So.2d 67, 70 (Miss. 1990), for the proposition that photographs of the victim should normally be inadmissible where the killing is not contradicted or denied, and the corpus delicti and the identity of the deceased have been established. The appellants' contention is plainly not supported by the facts. They each denied and contradicted the evidence which the State introduced regarding Hunter's murder. Both defendants denied involvement in the murder, as well as the circumstances of the murder. They additionally argue that the trial judge failed to make the following inquiry set forth in McNeal v. State, 551 So.2d 151, 159 (Miss. 1989): whether the photographs are necessary evidence or simply a ploy on the part of the prosecutor to arouse the passion and prejudice of the jury? This Court held under this test that it was an abuse of discretion to admit into evidence photos of a maggot infested skull for the purpose of proving the corpus delicti. McNeal, 551 So.2d at 159. The photographs in the case at hand assuredly did not have the same prejudicial effect as those in McNeal They were not overly gruesome, and the trial judge exercised restraint in admitting the two photographs of the murder victim which were ultimately seen by the jury. Therefore, the defendants failed to affirmatively prove any abuse of discretion by the trial judge in allowing the introduction of the photographs of the murder victim.