Opinion ID: 2378023
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Issue 4: The fire department video was properly admitted.

Text: Next, McCaslin argues that the trial court erred in admitting and playing for the jury an 8-minute fire department video that showed the department's response to the 911 call. He claims it was irrelevant, cumulative, and more prejudicial than probative. The State responds the tape was correctly admitted. The video, filmed by a fire recruit, begins as the fire engine is driving to A.D.'s house. Once the crew arrives, the video focuses primarily on the outside of the house and shows firefighters breaking windows, entering the house, and extinguishing the fire. The recruit never enters the house. When it shows smoke coming from the windows and vents, however, a portion of A.D.'s leg on the bed is visible for a matter of seconds. Our review of this issue is well known: When a party challenges the admission or exclusion of evidence on appeal, the first inquiry is relevance. [Citation omitted.] Unless otherwise prohibited, all relevant evidence is admissible. [Citation omitted.] `Relevant evidence' is `evidence having any tendency in reason to prove any material fact.' [Citation omitted.] State v. Walters, 284 Kan. 1, 8, 159 P.3d 174 (2007). To establish relevance, there must be some logical connection between the asserted facts and the inference or result they are intended to establish. State v. Houston, 289 Kan. 252, 261, 213 P.3d 728 (2009); Richmond, 289 Kan. at 437, 212 P.3d 165. `Once relevance is established, evidentiary rules governing admission and exclusion may be applied either as a matter of law or in the exercise of the district judge's discretion, depending on the contours of the rule in question.'[Citation omitted.] Walters, 284 Kan. at 8, 159 P.3d 174. Our review of McCaslin's arguments is for abuse of judicial discretion. State v. Reid, 286 Kan. 494, 512, 186 P.3d 713 (2008) (reviewing for probativity; balancing probativity with prejudice); State v. Torres, 280 Kan. 309, 333, 121 P.3d 429 (2005) (reviewing for cumulative). McCaslin claims the video is not relevant because watching firefighters respond to a fire, which is not in dispute, adds nothing to the jury's knowledge and understanding of the charges filed. He contends that the video only served to inflame the passions and prejudice of the jury and showing A.D.'s burned body justified excluding the video. The State responds that the video aided the jury in understanding the testimony of fire investigators. It contends that while A.D.'s body was visible, the extremely short duration and low visibility through the smoke negates the potential for undue prejudice. Before trial, the district court watched the video and overruled the defense's objection. Among other things, the judge stated the video was not unduly prejudicial: I think as to the issue of the portions of the video which depict the body, . . . the body is inside the house, the lighting in the house is darker than the outside. There is smoke in the way. Honestly had the parties not pointed out to me that's what I was looking at when I saw the video, I would not have recognized that portion of the thigh as being part of any body at all, so I think in light of the photographs that the parties have agreed come in, the portion of the video which shows the thigh of the victim is not unduly prejudicial, nor unduly graphic. In State v. Parker, 277 Kan. 838, 89 P.3d 622 (2004), the jury was shown photographs and a video of the townhouse where the crime was committed. We determined that the videotape of the townhouse was useful, but certainly not essential, for acquainting the jurors with the scene of the crime. Our case law, however, requires only usefulness. 277 Kan. at 848, 89 P.3d 622. Similarly, in State v. Kunellis, 276 Kan. 461, 482, 78 P.3d 776 (2003), a police dashboard videotape was properly shown to the jury to show that a violent automobile accident occurred and it confirmed aspects of the testimony of several key witnesses to the accident scene. We conclude that the video was relevant because it assisted the jury in understanding the testimony of multiple witnesses. It allowed the jurors to see smoke coming from the house; to see the fire damage, which helped jurors understand Lieutenant Hurd's testimony that the fire burned for a long time; to see the disarray inside the house, which was later introduced in photographs; and to see the efforts taken to suppress the fire. While a portion of A.D.'s body was visible for 2-3 seconds, its appearance was not unduly prejudicial, especially in light of the numerous photographs of her body admitted without objection. Finally, although some of the same information was presented through other evidence, the video also contained additional information; we hold it was not excessively cumulative. Accordingly, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the video into evidence.