Opinion ID: 1609015
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Darkness of Photographs

Text: Ford also argues that the photographs were developed in a way that made the scene appear darker than the actual accident scene had been. Ford presented witness testimony to that effect and contends that the dissimilarity rendered the photographs inadmissible. However, Westfall testified that the photographs accurately represented what he had seen at the reconstruction. The photographs were admitted for the purpose of illustrating what Westfall had seen at the reconstruction. Westfall's testimony, therefore, provided adequate foundation for the admission of the photographs as illustrative evidence. Westfall also explained that the witnesses to the accident had differing views of the scene and that their perspectives on the accident scene would be different from that of the driver of an eastbound vehicle. Thus, the testimony of the witnesses, that the photographs did not represent what they saw on the night of the accident, is not inconsistent with Westfall's testimony regarding what he saw, from Clinton's re-created perspective, at the reconstruction of the accident scene. Given Westfall's testimony in this regard, any discrepancies between the photographs and the testimony of the accident witnesses go not to the admissibility of the photographs, but to the weight to be given Westfall's testimony. Ford had ample opportunity to cross-examine Westfall with respect to the darkness of the photographs, and the strobe light and the fire hydrant, and to list and explain the differences between the photographs and the testimony of Ford's witnesses. Compare Hueper v. Goodrich, 263 N.W.2d 408 (Minn.1978). Ford also had the opportunity to present expert testimony in rebuttal to Westfall's testimony. Given Ford's opportunity to present his arguments regarding the photographs to the jury, we again find no abuse of discretion.