Opinion ID: 1624316
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Blood Spatter/Bite-mark Evidence

Text: The trial judge properly determined that Dr. Amy Burrows qualified as an expert witness so as to permit her to testify about both blood spatter and bite-mark evidence. She testified that the injury to Wheeler's arm was not a bite mark. KRE 702 allows such evidence if it will assist the trier of fact in understanding the evidence and determining factual issues. The pathologist was properly qualified and an adequate foundation was presented to establish her expertise. The admission by Wheeler that he was not bitten, but was instead stabbed in the arm by the unknown murderer, negates his argument as to the bite-mark evidence. The training of the pathologist and her on-the-scene observations clearly qualified her to testify about the evidence at the crime scene. The decision as to the qualifications of an expert is within the sound discretion of the trial judge and should not be disturbed in the absence of some abuse of discretion. See Fugate v. Commonwealth, Ky., 993 S.W.2d 931 (1999). Cf. Mills v. Commonwealth, Ky., 996 S.W.2d 473 (1999). There was no abuse of discretion.