Opinion ID: 867372
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Humphreys murder testimony

Text: ¶ 51 Pandeli next argues that the trial court abused its discretion when it allowed the State to introduce the underlying facts of the Humphreys murder, because such evidence was irrelevant, prejudicial, and cumulative. Evidence regarding the Humphreys murder was presented through the testimony of Dr. Keen, the county medical examiner, and Detectives Gregory and Rea, to demonstrate that Pandeli did not deserve to be shown leniency. ¶ 52 All of the testimony presented by the State was relevant. The facts of Humphreys' brutal murder demonstrated that Pandeli was not entitled to leniency. See A.R.S. § 13-703.01(G). Furthermore, the fact that Pandeli murdered two women in a similar, savage fashion rebutted his mental health mitigation by tending to show that he did not act impulsively. Moreover, one of Pandeli's experts, Dr. Cunningham, relied on the facts of the Humphreys murder to support his opinion of Pandeli's mental health. Cf. Johnson, 212 Ariz. at 435-36, ¶¶ 36-40, 133 P.3d at 745-46 (holding that trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing into evidence videotape that assisted jury in determining the credibility and accuracy of an expert's diagnosis). Finally, none of the evidence was cumulative because each witness provided different information about the murder. ¶ 53 The fact that the evidence was relevant does not end our analysis; we must also determine whether the evidence was unfairly prejudicial. Smith, 215 Ariz. at ___, ¶ 54, 159 P.3d at 542 (citing Hampton, 213 Ariz. at 179, ¶ 48, 140 P.3d at 962). Although damaging to Pandeli, none of the testimony was unduly prejudicial. The witnesses simply provided details of the crime scene and described Humphreys' injuries. The trial court therefore did not abuse its discretion in admitting this testimony.