Opinion ID: 1860859
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the trial court erred in admitting into evidence a photograph of the victim.

Text: ¶ 64. Over Stevens's objection, the trial court allowed the prosecution to introduce a high school photograph of Brown taken before the shooting. Stevens claims that the photograph was inflammatory and cumulative as he had stipulated, prior to the introduction of the picture, to the identity of the victim. The record indicates that Stevens stipulated to the identity of the victim after the witness had been shown the photograph and had identified Brown as the victim, but prior to introduction of the photograph. This Court rejected this assignment of error when raised by Stevens in his prior appeal. Stevens I, 717 So.2d at 313 (citing Bullock v. State, 391 So.2d 601, 609 (Miss.1980); Bruce v. State, 349 So.2d 1068, 1071 (Miss. 1977)). ¶ 65. The admissibility of photographs rests within the sound discretion of trial judge. Jackson v. State, 684 So.2d 1213, 1230 (Miss.1996); Mackbee v. State, 575 So.2d 16, 31 (Miss.1990). The fact that a photograph of the deceased might arouse the emotions of jurors does not of itself render it incompetent in evidence so long as introduction of the photograph serves some legitimate, evidentiary purpose. May v. State, 199 So.2d 635, 640 (Miss. 1967). This Court has held that a photograph of a victim may be admitted for purposes of identification. Noe v. State, 616 So.2d 298, 303 (Miss.1993); Bullock v. State, 391 So.2d 601, 609 (Miss.1980). ¶ 66. Nevertheless, Stevens asserts that because he stipulated to the victim's identity prior to introduction of the photograph, its introduction was cumulative and, therefore, of no evidentiary purpose. The photograph was simply a high school photograph, not gruesome nor likely to inflame the emotions of the jurors. We find that any error in its admission did not rise the level of reversible error. See Bruce v. State, 349 So.2d 1068, 1071 (Miss.1977).