Opinion ID: 1763781
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: the photographic evidence was properly admitted.

Text: During the testimony of Katrina's mother, Veronica Harris, various circumstances relating to Katrina's premature birth, health, special needs, and custody arrangements were discussed. In connection with the testimony, a picture of Katrina was introduced. The picture was taken in the hospital and showed her hooked up to monitoring devices. Because of the health problems related to her premature birth, Katrina was required to be on the devices after her release from the hospital, though not the same ones seen in the photograph. Hunt contends that the picture should have been excluded because the emotion evoking nature of the photo made it more prejudicial than probative. The Commonwealth is not permitted to introduce evidence which serves little or no legitimate evidentiary purpose other than to engender sympathy for the victim and his or her family. See, e.g., Ice v. Commonwealth, 667 S.W.2d 671, 676 (Ky.1984). In interpreting this general prohibition, we have explained a victim can be identified as more than a naked statistic[.] Bowling v. Commonwealth, 942 S.W.2d 293, 302 (Ky.1997). Katrina was the victim of the first-degree wanton endangerment charge. Her fragile state of health, as depicted in the photograph, was relevant to the charge of wanton endangerment. She was absent from the courtroom, and the photograph assisted in the identification of her as something more than an anonymous victim. The trial court did not abuse its discretion by permitting the photograph to be introduced. Hunt also claims that it was error to introduce, over his objection, the autopsy photographs of Bettina. The autopsy photographs depicted the wounds inflicted by Hunt. Hunt alleges that the introduction of the photographs was unnecessary because there was no challenge to the testimony that Bettina was shot or the medical examiner's testimony about her wounds, and the location of the wounds could have been established by the use of a diagram. In determining admissibility of the photographs, we must first consider whether the photos are relevant. Relevant evidence is defined as evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. KRE 401. The autopsy photographs of Bettina's fatal injuries were relevant to demonstrate that Bettina was, indeed, killed by gunshot wounds as stated in the indictment. Hunt argues that the wounds could have been demonstrated by diagrams illustrating where the bullets entered and exited. However, the photographs were the best evidence to show the location of the wounds and demonstrate to the jury that Bettina was killed by gunshot injuries. Next, the admissibility of photos must be examined under KRE 403, which states: Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of undue prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. KRE 403 (emphasis added). More specifically, we must discern whether the photographs were sufficiently gruesome so as to find the probative value substantially outweighed by the prejudicial effect. As a general rule, photographs do not become inadmissible simply because they are gruesome. Foley v. Commonwealth, 953 S.W.2d 924, 936 (Ky.1997). Such evidence loses its admissibility when the photographs begin to depict a body that has been materially altered by mutilation, autopsy, decomposition or other extraneous causes, not related to commission of the crime, so that the pictures tend to arouse passion and appall the viewer. Clark v. Commonwealth, 833 S.W.2d 793, 794 (Ky. 1991). We agree with Hunt that the autopsy photographs were gruesome; however, the threshold is much higher than mere gruesomeness for a photo to be inadmissible. For example, a photograph of a young child victim, where his scalp was pulled back to show there was an intent to kill, was not gruesome enough to preclude the photo evidence from the jury. Quarels v. Commonwealth, 142 S.W.3d 73 (Ky. 2004). In another case, a videotape of the murder scene showing burned bodies of victims, as well as numerous photographs depicting the same were an accurate description of the crime scene and were properly admissible. McKinney v. Commonwealth, 60 S.W.3d 499 (Ky.2001). The autopsy photographs were properly admitted because they depicted Bettina's injuries accurately and were not so gruesome so as to preclude the photograph from evidence. There is no error here.