Opinion ID: 1412808
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of Decedent's Prior Injuries.

Text: The petitioner next contends that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of injuries previously incurred by the decedent because the injuries were never causally linked to the petitioner. Although it is true that the connection to the petitioner was slight, at best, we agree with the court of appeals' holding [6] that any error which might have occurred was not prejudicial. Facts or circumstances relating to prior ill-feeling, mistreatment, violence, threats, or similar conduct by the defendant toward the victim are admissible to show motive and malice in homicide cases. Romero v. People, 170 Colo. 234, 460 P.2d 784 (1969). The trial court, after giving a cautionary instruction as required by Stull v. People, 140 Colo. 278, 374 P.2d 455 (1959), properly allowed testimony from several witnesses regarding prior assaults and threats by the petitioner against his wife. In addition and as further evidence of motive or malice, the People called two doctors, a hospital administrator, and the decedent's mother to testify to injuries sustained by the decedent. The People were unable to establish, as to most of the injuries, that the petitioner had inflicted them or that they were linked to specific assaults by him established through other testimony. Nonetheless, since these occurrences were merely cumulative to the substantial evidence of malice that had already been properly admitted, we hold that there was no reversible error.