Opinion ID: 1636806
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Testimony of TBI Agent Linda Littlejohn Regarding Length of Shoes Seized

Text: The Appellant argues that the trial court erred by allowing Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Agent, Linda Littlejohn, to testify that the length of the shoes seized from the Appellant's apartment were within the range of the unidentified shoe print left at the scene of the crime. Specifically, he contends that the technique used in measuring the enlarged photographic negative was not shown to meet the standards of admissibility for expert testimony set forth in McDaniel v. CSX Transp., 955 S.W.2d 257 (Tenn.1997). Additionally, the Appellant asserts that the admission of Agent Littlejohn's testimony violated Tenn. R. Evid. 702 and 401. Determinations of the admissibility of expert testimony are made within the sound discretion of the trial court. State v. Ballard, 855 S.W.2d 557, 562 (Tenn.1993). The standard of review on appeal is whether the trial court abused its discretion in excluding the expert testimony. The abuse of discretion standard contemplates that, before reversal, the record must show that a judge applied an incorrect legal standard, or reached a decision which is against logic or reasoning that caused an injustice to the party complaining. State v. Shirley, 6 S.W.3d 243, 247 (Tenn.1999); State v. Shuck, 953 S.W.2d 662, 669 (Tenn.1997). In the present case, Agent Littlejohn testified that a ruler was placed near the shoe print found at the crime scene before the photograph was taken. The negatives were later developed and one to one photographs were made, and that would be where the negative is enlarged to where the ruler in the photograph is actually the same size of the ruler next to the print at the scene, so the photographs ... would be exactly the same size as the print at the crime scene. Both tread and length were determined using this same technique. After comparing the photograph and the shoes, Agent Littlejohn testified that none of the treads on the shoes recovered from the Appellant's apartment matched the print left at the crime scene. Although Agent Littlejohn testified that she could not speculate as to the actual size of the shoe worn by the perpetrator because different styles and brands would vary slightly in length, she did testify, however, that the length of the shoe print found at the scene fell within the range of lengths of the nine pairs of shoes seized from the Appellant's apartment. Specifically, she testified that the shoe print found at the scene measured 12 and 3/8 inches in length. The shoes taken from the Appellant's apartment ranged from 11 13/16 inches to 12½ inches in length. First, the Appellant contends that the trial court erred in admitting Agent Littlejohn's testimony regarding the length of the shoe print because it did not comport with standards for expert testimony set forth in McDaniel, 955 S.W.2d at 257. We note that the Appellant does not contest this measurement technique with respect to the tread identification testimony, which was favorable to him. Rather, he only attacks this technique with respect to the length of the shoe print. The Appellant further argues that the trial court erred by violating Tenn. R. Evid. 702, which reads, [i]f scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will substantially assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise. In McDaniel, the Tennessee Supreme Court held that a trial court may consider the following factors when determining the reliability of scientific evidence: (1) whether scientific evidence has been tested and the methodology with which it has been tested; (2) whether the evidence has been subjected to peer review or publication; (3) whether a potential rate of error is known; (4) whether, as formerly required by Frye, the evidence is generally accepted in the scientific community; and (5) whether the expert's research in the field has been conducted independent of litigation. McDaniel, 955 S.W.2d at 265. In this instance, the following dialogue took place during a jury-out hearing: THE COURT: Well, let me ask Ms. Littlejohn a couple of questions. Ms. Littlejohn, the training that you had in terms of the conclusions that you drew, were these standard procedures used in that field? LITTLEJOHN: Yes, I mean THE COURT: Okay, and it is the blowing up, the one-on-one comparison LITTLEJOHN: Uh-huh. THE COURT: and is that what your training indicates? LITTLEJOHN: ... yes, ma'am. THE COURT: And is that the standard used in your field? LITTLEJOHN: Yes, it is. THE COURT: All right, and is there scientific literature with regard to this, I mean LITTLEJOHN: Yes, there is. THE COURT: and is this subject to being able to be proven or disproved? LITTLEJOHN: Yes. THE COURT: Okay, so there are scientific principles behind this? LITTLEJOHN: Yes. THE COURT: So you blow it up one-on-one, which is the exact size of the print, and then you just make a comparison of both in tread and otherwise, and apparently you did that in this case that [defense counsel] does not object to? LITTLEJOHN: Yes, your honor. DEFENSE: Correct. THE COURT: Okay, so you used that same methodology to compare the prints, the tread, and that, that you used to make the size comparison? LITTLEJOHN: Basically.... We conclude that the above text, along with other testimony presented at the jury-out hearing, more than satisfies the factors set forth in McDaniel. The evidence presented at both the jury-out hearing and trial indicated that the technique used by Agent Littlejohn was standard procedure and widely accepted in the field of shoe and footprint comparison. Agent Littlejohn properly qualifies as an expert in shoe and footprint comparison and her testimony would have substantially assisted the trier of fact due to her education, experience, and training. See Tenn. R. Evid. 702. Moreover, the Appellant was able to solicit testimony during cross-examination that the length of the print found would be fairly common among the general population. This issue is without merit. The Appellant also argues that Agent Littlejohn's testimony concerning range of length was irrelevant. See Tenn. R. Evid. 401 and 402. Tennessee Rules of Evidence 401 defines relevant evidence 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. Clearly, testimony concerning the shoe prints found at the crime scene as compared to the shoes seized from the Appellant's apartment is relevant evidence that was properly admitted. This issue is without merit.
The Appellant argues that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence cash register receipts seized from the Appellant's residence that were not properly authenticated pursuant to Tenn. R. Evid. 901. Specifically, he contests the authentication of the receipts because the prosecution failed to call as witnesses representatives of the respective businesses to testify as to the legitimacy and accuracy of the receipts. The prosecution, through the testimony of Detective Postiglione, introduced three cash register receipts seized from the Appellant's residence: (1) a Wal-Mart receipt in the amount of $78.34, dated February 17, 1997; (2) a Wal-Mart receipt dated the same day in the amount of $69.29; and (3) a receipt from Jumbo Sports dated February 18, 1997, for $97.41. The purpose for the introduction of these receipts was to show that the Appellant had spent a large amount of money in a short period of time after the murders despite the fact that he was in dire financial trouble at the time. At trial, defense counsel objected to the introduction of the receipts, arguing that the receipts had not been properly authenticated. The trial court overruled the objection and found the cash register receipts admissible. Upon reviewing this issue, we agree that the receipts were admissible. Rule 901(a) of the Tennessee Rules of Evidence provides that [t]he requirement of authentication ... is satisfied by evidence sufficient to the court to support a finding by the trier of fact that the matter in question is what its proponent claims. Notwithstanding, Rule 902(7) states that extrinsic evidence of authenticity is not required as a condition precedent to admissibility when the item or items sought to be admitted are [i]nscriptions, signs, tags, or labels purporting to have been affixed in the course of business and indicating ownership, control or origin. In the present case, two of the receipts were from Wal-Mart and one receipt was from Jumbo Sports. All three receipts were in printed form, bearing the retailer's name, address, and other relevant information. This printed material constitutes an inscription for purposes of satisfying Rule 902(7). See, e.g., United States v. Hing Shair Chan, 680 F.Supp. 521, 526 (E.D.N.Y.1988) (a hotel record on hotel stationary was held to be self-authenticating); State v. DeLeon, No. CA 17574, 2000 WL 646502 (Ohio App.2d May 19, 2000) (bill of sale for automobile bearing dealer's name and address held to be self-authenticating); Neil P. Cohen, et. al., Tennessee Law of Evidence §§ 9.02[9] (4th ed. 2000). Thus, the cash register receipts were self-authenticating and properly admitted at trial. This issue is without merit.