Opinion ID: 879829
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Plaintiff's Use of Video Tapes

Text: Defendant argues that the District Court erred when it allowed counsel for Palmer to use Plaintiff's Exhibit 11 as a demonstration and to enter Exhibit 23 into evidence. Exhibit 11 shows Evil Knievil driving southbound through the curve at various speeds on a 750-cc motorcycle. Exhibit 23 was a video tape made by the defense attorneys for their use in preparing their case. It shows the curve from different angles and at one point the camera is mounted on the dashboard of a car as it drives through the curve. We deal first with Exhibit 11. This tape was shot from the shoulder on the east side of the highway directly adjacent to the northbound lane of traffic. The first several seconds of this video tape show a semi-tractor and trailer driving in a northerly direction in the wrong lane of traffic. It is apparent from the video tape that the right inside rear wheel of the trailer is tracking along the center line of the highway. This places the left side of the tractor and trailer well within the southbound lane. This tractor-trailer was not hired as part of a reconstruction or demonstration; it just happened to be driving through the area as the tape was made. Serena Diacon testified that the tractor-trailer shown in this tape occupies the exact position on the road as the red tractor-trailer occupied on the day of the accident. She voiced this opinion after viewing this video tape two times almost three years after the accident. Serena admitted in voir dire by defense attorneys that she had seen no other tapes of trucks on that curve from which to choose which best represented the position of the red tractor-trailer. She also noted that she saw the red tractor-trailer on the day of the accident from the front and this video tape showed the truck from behind. However, she said she knew the tractor-trailer on the tape was in the same position by looking at the center line as it appears beneath the truck. The defense objected to this demonstration as prejudicial and lacking foundation. Exhibits used for demonstration purposes are admissible if they supplement the witness' spoken description of the transpired event, clarify some issue in the case, and are more probative than prejudicial. Workman v. McIntyre Construction Co. (Mont. 1980), 617 P.2d 1281, 1291, 37 St. Rep. 1637, 1650, citing 29 Am.Jur.2d, Evidence § 785. Movies are considered to be reliable if they are accurate and relevant with any change in circumstances explained. Brown v. North American Manufacturing Co. (1978), 176 Mont. 98, 117, 576 P.2d 711, 722. The admission of such evidence lies solely in the discretion of the District Court and we will not reverse unless a manifest abuse of discretion is shown. Brown, 576 P.2d at 722. A focal question in this case concerns where the red tractor-trailer was located on the highway prior to the accident. Since Serena testified that this video tape shows that location it is relevant. Questions concerning this video tape go not to its admissibility for demonstrative purposes, but rather to the weight to be given it. As it admits or rejects various pieces of evidence, the District Court must bear in mind Rule 403, M.R.Evid.: Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. To reduce the prejudicial effect of Exhibit 11, the District Court admonished the jury before Serena testified: THE COURT: Ladies and gentlemen, prior to the testimony of this witness, I want to read you a cautionary instruction. During the next witness' testimony, you will see a video demonstration which the Court has ruled may be shown. This video tape was taken by the Plaintiff's attorney approximately two-and-a-half years after the accident. The video tape shows a semi truck and trailer over the center line on U.S. highway 89 approaching the Stud Horse intersection from the south. It is offered only to demonstrate visually the testimony of Serena Diacon. You are not to consider this video tape for any other purpose. It is not allowed for the purpose of showing that there is any general tendency for semi trucks to cross the center line on the curve in question. In viewing the video, you should consider the effect that the location of the camera operation had on the path taken by the semi. You should also consider the presence of a vehicle on the right side of the highway. This admonition advises the jury that Exhibit 11 is only a visual illustration of a part of Serena's testimony and that it must be considered along with all other evidence and that it is not proof that trucks routinely cross the center line. In addition, the jury is told to consider what effect the position of the camera had on the path of the truck. This admonition is proper and serves to alleviate any prejudice in Exhibit 11. We find no abuse of discretion in admitting it for demonstrative purposes. The video tape labeled Plaintiff's Exhibit 23 was made the day that surveyor Herbert Sherburne measured the curve for defendants but Sherburne testified that he had no role in producing the video tape and had never viewed it until the day he testified. Sherburne testified that his measurements show the vigilant driver approaching the curve from the north would have been able to see a 13-foot 4-inch high semi truck and trailer 750 feet away from the point Palmer's skid marks began. Palmer introduced the exhibit through Sherburne in order to impeach his calculation. The defense objected to this use of Exhibit 23 because Sherburne had not made the video tape, knew little about photography and was not aware of what type of lens was used to make the video tape, could not locate his survey stakes on the video tape and could not be expected to determine distances on a two-dimensional screen. The District Court cited the video tape's probative value, overruled the objection, and directed plaintiff to show the video tape at normal speed. Sherburne need not be the maker of the video tape to introduce it. Pickett v. Kyger (1968), 151 Mont. 87, 97, 439 P.2d 57, 62. A video tape will be allowed as long as it shows a true representation of the scene at the time in question or any difference is explained. Lamb v. Page (1969), 153 Mont. 171, 176-77, 455 P.2d 337, 340; Pilgeram v. Haas (1946), 118 Mont. 431, 449, 167 P.2d 339, 348. Because the defendant's witness had testified a driver in Palmer's lane should have been able to see a truck 750 feet away, Palmer had the right to test the witness on that assertion and to impeach him if he could. To do this Palmer played Exhibit 23, which at one point showed a tractor-trailer driving north and negotiating the curve. As this truck moved, Palmer's counsel on several occasions froze the frame on the tape so he could ask Sherburne how far away the truck was and whether it was in its proper lane of travel. On three occasions when counsel for Palmer asked Sherburne to indicate what distance on the screen represented 750 feet the defense objected and was sustained by the court. On another occasion when counsel for Palmer asked Sherburne if anything had been edited out of the tape, the defense objected and was sustained. By doing so the District Court exercised its discretion not only in permitting the video tape into evidence but also in policing the cross-examination. We find no manifest abuse of discretion that would warrant reversal. In rejecting this issue of defendant's appeal, we rely on what appears to be the fair application of discretion by the District Court. The defendant makes a strong argument that these video tapes were not intended to demonstrate any witness' testimony or impeach any other witness so much as they were intended to constantly display to the jury a tractor-trailer either over the center line or right up against the center line. We will not pass judgment here upon that. The District Court's prompt and effective use of discretion in this case protected the relevancy of this evidence from damaging prejudice.