Opinion ID: 2233063
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: issues

Text: Defendant argues that the in-court identification of Defendant by an eyewitness to the crime was tainted by an improperly conducted photographic display, alleging that the photographic identification procedure was suggestive and that it was conducted without Defendant's being represented by counsel. First, there is no absolute right to have counsel present during any photographic identification, Sawyer v. State, (1973) 260 Ind. 597, 298 N.E.2d 440; United States v. Ash, (1973) 413 U.S. 300, 93 S.Ct. 2568, 37 L.Ed.2d 619, and an in-court identification is not subject to attack upon the ground that Defendant was not represented at such an identification procedure. Second, whether a pre-trial identification procedure is impermissibly suggestive depends upon an evaluation of the totality of the circumstances. Dewey v. State, (1976) Ind., 345 N.E.2d 842; Fields v. State, (1975) 263 Ind. 550, 333 N.E.2d 742; Stovall v. Denno, (1967) 388 U.S. 293, 87 S.Ct. 1967, 18 L.Ed.2d 1199. Once an improper pre-trial identification has been established, an in-court identification will be excluded unless it is shown there is a sufficient basis, independent of the improper identification, upon which the in-court identification may be established. Here, however, the circumstances of the pre-trial identification are not contained in the record. The only reference to the pre-trial photographic display appears following the trial court's ruling upon the admissibility of the in-court identification. That reference reveals only that the witness identified the defendant after viewing a display of four photographs, including one of the defendant. There is nothing in the record to enlighten us as to the circumstances surrounding that display. Hence, there is no basis for a determination of the degree of suggestiveness, if any. The Court cannot consider anything which is not contained in the record. Fair v. State, Ind., 364 N.E.2d 1007; Parsley v. State, (1973) 261 Ind. 106, 300 N.E.2d 652.