Opinion ID: 1266694
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Visiting the Crime Scene

Text: McHoney asserts the trial judge erred by denying the juror's request to visit the 41 Quick Stop, a location where a State's witness testified he saw McHoney driving the victim's car around the time of the murder. We disagree. Jury views are controlled by S.C.Code Ann. § 14-7-1320 (1976), which provides: The jury in any case may, at the request of either party, be taken to view the place or premises in question or any property, matter or thing relating to the controversy between the parties when it appears to the court that such view is necessary to a just decision, if the party making the motion advances a sum sufficient to pay the actual expenses of the jury and the officers who attend them in taking the view, which shall be afterwards taxed like other legal costs if the party who advanced them prevails in the suit. A jury view of a scene is a matter within the discretion of the trial judge. Kincaid v. Landing Dev. Corp., 289 S.C. 89, 344 S.E.2d 869 (Ct.App.1986) (citations omitted). The trial judge's decision will not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. Id. During jury deliberations in this matter, the jury sent a message to the trial judge asking: Will it be possible to visit the 41 Quick Stop at nighttime? The trial judge declined the request, informing the jury they must decide the case based on the evidence presented. Similarly, in Gossett v. State, 300 S.C. 473, 388 S.E.2d 804 (1990), the jury sent a note to the trial judge asking if they could view the scene of the crime. We found the trial judge was correct in denying the jury's visit to the crime situs because section 14-7-1320 mandates that a party make a motion before a jury view is allowed. Id. at 477, 388 S.E.2d at 806. Based on our opinion in Gossett, supra, the trial judge was correct in denying the jury view of the crime situs. However, even assuming a proper motion was made, a jury view was not necessary for the jury to make a just decision. The jury wanted to view the scene at night because they were concerned the State's witness did not have enough light to clearly identify McHoney. However, a jury view of the scene was unnecessary because: (1) a photograph of the scene was admitted into evidence indicating a street light was in the vicinity of the scene; and (2) the witness testified he had enough light to recognize McHoney.