Opinion ID: 2607856
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Trial Court's Refusal to Allow the Defense to Show Films Admitted Into Evidence

Text: The State stipulated to the entry of four sexually explicit films which were retrieved from decedent's home by personnel from the Albuquerque Police Department, Internal Affairs Division. After the films were admitted the judge denied defense counsel's request that the films be shown to the jury. Instead, the films were passed to the jury so that they could see the representative photographs on the covers. The judge also told the jury they could see the films if they determined, during their deliberations, that there was some materiality or relevance beyond the photographs on the covers of the films. The jury was instructed to send the judge a note if they determined they needed to view the films. The State claims this is sufficient opportunity to view the evidence. We do not agree. The prosecution's stipulation in this case should not be allowed to eviscerate the value of the evidence presented. Even though a judicial admission generally does away with the necessity of proof by the benefiting party, such an admission does not necessarily prohibit the benefiting party from presenting his evidence to the jury. See State v. Upton, 60 N.M. 205, 290 P.2d 440 (1955). A cold stipulation can deprive a party `of the legitimate moral force of his evidence'   . In most cases, a party has the right `to present to the jury a picture of the events relied upon.' United States v. Grassi, 602 F.2d 1192, 1197 (5th Cir.1979) (citations omitted), vacated on other grounds, 448 U.S. 902, 100 S.Ct. 3041, 65 L.Ed.2d 1131 (1980), on remand, 626 F.2d 444 (5th Cir.1980), cert. denied, 450 U.S. 956, 101 S.Ct. 1415, 67 L.Ed.2d 381 (1981). In Grassi, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that it was fair for the trial court to allow the prosecution to show three of five films in a trial involving the interstate shipment of pornographic material, although the trial court should have required the prosecution to accept the defense's offer to stipulate to the obscene nature of the remainder of the films. In the case before us, after the films were admitted into evidence, the defense was not allowed to show any of the films to the jury. This was an improper limitation on defendant's right to present her evidence to the jury. Defendant sought to use the films to corroborate her testimony regarding decedent's tendencies towards violent sexual conduct and his abuse of defendant. The decision to admit the films carried with it a determination that the films were relevant to the issue. The determination of whether evidence is relevant, and therefore admissible, rests within the discretion of the trial court. NMSA 1978, Evid.R. 104(a) (Repl. Pamp. 1983); Wilson v. Hayner, 98 N.M. 514, 650 P.2d 36 (Ct.App. 1982). Allowing the jury to determine whether the films were relevant, and whether they should therefore view the films, amounts to exclusion of otherwise relevant and admissible evidence. This is error. See State ex rel. State Highway Commission v. Bassett, 81 N.M. 345, 467 P.2d 11 (1970). It is for the trial court, not the jury, to determine whether evidence is relevant and admissible. Given the nature of these films, the requirement that a viewing had to be specifically requested by the jury placed an unreasonable burden on any juror or jurors who had legitimate concerns as to the import of the evidence. A jury should not be forced to second-guess the favorable ruling of the court on admissibility and to disregard the evidence if they find the evidence inadmissible; their function is to determine weight and credibility, not admissibility. M. Graham, Handbook of Federal Evidence § 104.1 (1981). The trial court erred in its refusal to show the sexually explicit films, without a specific request by the jury for a viewing.