Opinion ID: 1577692
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 46

Heading: Images of Crime Scene

Text: The photographic evidence of Horton's body was neither cumulative nor unduly prejudicial. Photographs of Horton's body and a video of the crime scene were shown to the jury, in most instances during the testimony of an investigating officer to describe the nature of the crime and the crime scene. Dr. Hunsaker referred to photographs of Horton's body to explain the autopsy procedures and his findings, although no post-autopsy photographs were displayed. The Commonwealth used photographs of the crime scene, which included Horton's body, during its opening and closing arguments. The trial court conducted the requisite balancing test between the probative value of these images and their prejudicial effect. See KRE 403. The images depicted a violent crime scene and, naturally, were gruesome and disturbing. However, Horton's wounds were critical to a full understanding of the case, particularly in light of defense counsel's arguments that Burton had enough strength to lodge the knife into Horton's skull and that Appellant did not have sufficient time to inflict so many wounds. Furthermore, the Commonwealth was entitled to present its case fully, even if doing so involved gruesome images, regardless of any defense stipulation as to the manner of Horton's death. [T]he prosecution is entitled to prove its case by competent evidence of its own choosing, and the defendant may not stipulate away the parts of the case that he does not want the jury to see. Barnett v. Commonwealth, 979 S.W.2d 98, 103 (Ky. 1998). The photographs were not admitted to arouse passion or appall the viewer, as condemned in Funk v. Commonwealth, 842 S.W.2d 476, 478-480 (Ky.1992). There was no abuse of discretion in the trial court's conclusion that the probative value of these images outweighed their prejudicial effect. See Roark v. Commonwealth, 90 S.W.3d 24, 37 (Ky.2002).