Opinion ID: 844217
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of Autopsy Report and Coroner's Testimony Regarding Officer Kevin Burrell

Text: The autopsy of Kevin Burrell was performed by Dr. James Wegner, who was deceased at the time of trial. Forensic pathologist Dr. James Ribe testified at trial about the results of the autopsy. Based on Dr. Wegner's report, Dr. Ribe stated that the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds and described the four wounds on Officer Burrell's bodyto the arm, to the chin, to the left foot, and to the head. Dr. Ribe also illustrated his testimony with a display of six photographs that showed these wounds, X-rays of some of the wounds, and a mannequin into which rods had been inserted to illustrate the trajectories of the bullets. Dr. Ribe gave his own opinions regarding the inferences that could be drawn from these wounds. He opined that the wound to the arm would have rendered the officer unable to use his right hand, because the X-ray demonstrated that the arm was shattered. The arm wound was consistent with the shooter standing in front of the officer and the officer either reaching back for a weapon or buckling over. The chin wound was consistent with the officer bending forward at the waist at the time the shot was fired. The wound to the foot was consistent with the officer being on his back on the ground and lifting his foot to fend off a shot. A bullet hit the top of the officer's head, then broke into two pieces, one of which came out and one of which entered the brain. Holes in the officer's jacket, shirt, and boot were consistent with the wounds as he described them. Defendant contends that the autopsy report and Dr. Ribe's testimony based on that report constituted testimonial hearsay, the admission of which violated his constitutional right to confront the witnesses against him. ( Bullcoming v. New Mexico (2011) 564 U.S. ___ [180 L.Ed.2d 610, 131 S.Ct. 2705]; Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts (2009) 557 U.S. 305 [174 L.Ed.2d 314, Crawford v. Washington (2004) 541 U.S. 36 [158 L.Ed.2d 177, 124 S.Ct. 1354] ( Crawford ).) Putting aside the merits, defendant's confrontation clause claim fails because even if there was error, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. The fact and cause of Officer Burrell's death were sufficiently established by other evidence. Eyewitnesses described the shootings and the condition of the officer when he was found at the scene. The photographs showing the location of the wounds, the officer's boot and clothing, and the X-ray of Officer Burrell's arm showed his injuries, and this evidence clearly did not constitute testimonial hearsay. Furthermore, the cause of death was not actively contested at trial. Defense counsel, hoping to avoid exposing the jury to autopsy photographs and other evidence he considered to be inflammatory, offered to stipulate to the cause of death and the nature of the wounds. Defense counsel stated, There is no dispute that there was an intent to kill. There is no dispute regarding the nature of the wounds. Consistent with that statement, defense counsel conducted the briefest of cross-examinations, merely clarifying that Dr. Ribe could not determine in what order the four gunshot wounds were inflicted. The issues that were contested at trial were the identity of the killer and whether the killing was premeditated. Nothing in the autopsy report or the testimony of Dr. Ribe implicated defendant as the person who killed the two officers. The only portions of Dr. Ribe's testimony that could have contributed to a finding of premeditation were his identification of four wounds, his opinion that the shot to Officer Burrell's arm would have rendered him unable to use his right hand, and his opinion that the wound to the officer's foot could have been inflicted when he was on the ground, trying to ward off a shot. However, Dr. Ribe could have rendered these same opinions without reference to Dr. Wegner's notations in the autopsy report, because they were also based on the photographs and X-ray. In addition, there was other evidence that overwhelmingly supported the conclusion that defendant shot Officer Burrell when the officer was on the ground and thus that the murder was premeditated. Cooksey testified that defendant admitted shooting the two officers after they were on the ground. Eyewitness Gully testified that she observed a man who looked like defendant shoot Officer Burrell while standing over him. Eyewitness Jordon also testified that she saw a man who appeared to be defendant shoot Officer Burrell in the head while he was lying facedown on the curb. Consequently, any error in the admission of the autopsy report or its contents without the opportunity for the defense to cross-examine the author was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.