Opinion ID: 1528630
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: photographs at the sentencing hearing

Text: The Defendant alleges that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence certain photographs of the victim during the sentencing hearing. In its case in chief at sentencing, the State introduced into evidence several photographs over Defendant's objections. On appeal, the Defendant contends that three of these photographs should not have been admitted because the prejudicial effect outweighs their probative value. The State contends that the photographs were relevant to show the especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravating circumstance. The first picture complained of is a color photograph of the victim as she appeared when found lying in the bathtub. It shows the victim's clothing in disarray and a large bruise on her left hip. Another photograph of the victim's body taken during the autopsy illustrating the slash wound to the neck was also admitted. It is the worst of the three photographs and is undeniably gruesome. The final photo shows the bruises to the victim's face as they appeared at the time of the pathologist's examination. All three of the photographs are relevant to aggravating circumstance (i)(5). See State v. Payne, 791 S.W.2d 10, 19-20 (Tenn. 1990); State v. Miller, 771 S.W.2d 401, 403-404 (Tenn. 1989); State v. Porterfield, 746 S.W.2d 441, 449-450 (Tenn. 1988); State v. McNish, 727 S.W.2d 490, 494-495 (Tenn. 1987). We find that the probative value of these photographs is not substantially outweighed by their prejudicial effect and that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting these photographs at the sentencing hearing.