Opinion ID: 1991696
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: exclusion of proffered expert testimony

Text: At trial, the court barred crime scene reconstruction testimony of Deats, a defense expert. The defense expert was allowed to testify in the areas of fingerprints, toolmarking, and ballistics. The defense attorney then asked the expert: Q. Do you have an opinion based on your analysis of the distance from the floor to the rifle at the time the rifle was shot? A. Yes, I have an opinion. Q. Okay. What is that opinion? To this, the prosecution objected on foundation, and the court sustained. In his offer of proof, the defense attorney asked the expert if his opinion about the circumstances of the shooting was consistent with the victim lunging at the gun or trying to pull it out of somebody's hand, to which the expert replied, It could be. After trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty on both counts. A three-judge panel sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment on count I and to 10 to 15 years' imprisonment on count II.