Opinion ID: 1652716
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: exclusion of photograph

Text: The trial judge sustained the Commonwealth's objection to Appellant's attempt to introduce into evidence a life photograph of Gerald Talbott. The photograph depicts Gerald sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle, scowling, unshaven, and smoking a cigarette. When questioned concerning the relevance of this photograph, defense counsel responded only that it depicted Gerald as he looked at the time of the murder and that it would assist witnesses in their identification of him. The only witnesses who testified to having had personal contact with Gerald Talbott were Detective Harlow and Joey Wolf, Gerald's former cellmate at the Franklin County jail. Neither professed to need the assistance of a photograph to identify Gerald Talbott. While we have permitted the introduction of life photographs of homicide victims to prove they were living persons rather than mere statistics, e.g., Eldred v. Commonwealth, supra , McQueen v. Commonwealth, Ky., 669 S.W.2d 519 (1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 893, 105 S.Ct. 269, 83 L.Ed.2d 205 (1984), we perceive no similar need for the introduction of a life photograph of the perpetrator of the homicide. Since the admission of this photograph was unnecessary to prove identity and its content had little or no probative value, the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in refusing its admission. KRE 401; KRE 403; Clark v. Hauck Mfg. Co., Ky., 910 S.W.2d 247, 253 (1995); Freeman v. Oliver M. Elam, Jr. Company, Ky., 372 S.W.2d 796, 798 (1963).