Opinion ID: 1886897
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of Physical Evidence

Text: Appellant challenges a number of items of physical evidence introduced by the Commonwealth. We will address them by kind. [52]
It has been a steadfast principle of our jurisprudence that pictures of the victim are not per se inadmissible. See Commonwealth v. King, 554 Pa. 331, 721 A.2d 763, 773 (1998), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1119, 120 S.Ct. 942, 145 L.Ed.2d 819 (2000); Commonwealth v. Marinelli, 547 Pa. 294, 690 A.2d 203, 216 (1997), cert. denied, 523 U.S. 1024, 118 S.Ct. 1309, 140 L.Ed.2d 473 (1998); Commonwealth v. Chester, 526 Pa. 578, 587 A.2d 1367, 1373, cert. denied, 502 U.S. 959, 112 S.Ct. 422, 116 L.Ed.2d 442 (1991). In relation to admissibility of these photographs, we have promulgated the following test: [A] court must determine whether the photograph is inflammatory. If not, it may be admitted if it has relevance and can assist the jury's understanding of the facts. If the photograph is inflammatory, the trial court must decide whether or not the photographs are of such essential evidentiary value that their need clearly outweighs the likelihood of inflaming the minds and passions of the jurors. If an inflammatory photograph is merely cumulative of other evidence, it will not be deemed admissible. Marinelli, 690 A.2d at 216 (citing Chester, 587 A.2d at 1373-74); also see Freeman, 827 A.2d at 405; Commonwealth v. Baez, 554 Pa. 66, 720 A.2d 711, 726 (1998), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 827, 120 S.Ct. 78, 145 L.Ed.2d 66 (1999). The admissibility of photos of the corpse in a homicide case is a matter within the discretion of the trial court, and only an abuse of discretion will constitute reversible error. Rush, 646 A.2d at 560. As we also explained in Rush: A criminal homicide trial is, by its very nature, unpleasant, and the photographic images of the injuries inflicted are merely consonant with the brutality of the subject of inquiry. To permit the disturbing nature of the images of the victim to rule the question of admissibility would result in exclusion of all photographs of the homicide victim, and would defeat one of the essential functions of a criminal trial, inquiry into the intent of the actor. There is no need to so overextend an attempt to sanitize the evidence of the condition of the body as to deprive the Commonwealth of opportunities of proof in support of the onerous burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Further, the condition of the victim's body provides evidence of the assailant's intent, and, even where the body's condition can be described through testimony from a medical examiner, such testimony does not obviate the admissibility of photographs. Id. (citing Commonwealth v. McCutchen, 499 Pa. 597, 454 A.2d 547, 549 (1982)). Presently, Appellant contends that the trial court erred in allowing into evidence: (1) a photograph showing Burghardt's body in the position it was found by the police; [53] (2) various pictures of Schmoyer's body and the surrounding crime scene; (3) a photograph of Schmoyer's neck and cheek area; (4) various color photographs of Fortney's body and the surrounding crime scene; (5) photographs of Sam-Cali, showing her condition after the attack on June 28, 1993; and (6) photographs of injuries sustained by Appellant during his apprehension. Appellant argues that the introduction of these photographs was merely cumulative of the testimony adduced at trial and that the prejudicial effect of these pictures outweighed their probative value. Having reviewed the photographs at issue, we cannot conclude that the trial court abused its discretion in determining that their evidentiary value outweighed any possible prejudicial effect. Appellant is correct in pointing out that: (1) the victims' wounds and blood splatter were visible on some of the pictures; and (2) several Commonwealth witnesses testified as to the locations of the bodies and the nature of the crime scenes in question. We note, however, that neither this testimony nor the gruesome nature of the pictures is an impediment to the admissibility of photographs of the homicide scene. See, e.g., Marinelli, 690 A.2d at 217 (commenting that [w]hile the presence of blood on the victim depicted in the photographs is unpleasant, it is not in and of itself inflammatory); Rush, 646 A.2d at 559-60 (holding that the pictures of the victim's body at the crime scene were admissible despite testimony from a medical examiner); Commonwealth v. Gorby, 527 Pa. 98, 588 A.2d 902, 908 (1991) (finding no abuse of discretion in allowing photographs, which depicted a large gaping gash on the victim's neck as well as thirteen other knife wounds located on the victim's hands, arms back and chest); Chester, 587 A.2d at 1373-74 (finding no abuse of discretion in allowing photographs of the victim's slashed throat, open eye, and other head injuries as evidence of a specific intent to kill). We also note that the trial court limited the time that the jury was allowed to observe the pictures. See Trial Court Opinion, p. 41 Further, we believe that the trial court adequately explained the basis for the introduction of these photographs: [A] photograph of Burghardt did not show her face or injuries, only the positioning of the body when the police arrived. The photographs of Schmoyer showed the collection of logs and leaves used to cover her body demonstrating the method, and thus the intent, to cover up the murder. The photographs of her back and top part of her sweatshirt demonstrated the violent, torturous attack upon her, again reflecting the intent of her assailant. The photograph of Schmoyer's cheek portrayed the pattern injury which was later determined to have been caused by a sneaker. It was used in conjunction with the testimony regarding footwear impressions to compare the pattern injury reflected on the photograph with the impression made by the sneaker found at [Appellant]'s home. A photograph was cropped so that the gaping neck wound was not observable. Photographs of the Fortney crime scene demonstrated the intent and malice used to kill her. Finally, the photographs of Sam-Cali again demonstrated the brutality of the assault which could be compared with the brutality used in the other cases, particularly as to Fortney. While none of these photographs was pleasant to view, each of them had a proper role to play in explaining to the jury the common brutality and intent to kill. Similarly, photographs of [Appellant]'s injuries when he was apprehended were neither prejudicial nor irrelevant. They bolstered the Commonwealth's version of [Appellant]'s cunning and resolve in making his exit from the homes of his victims. Trial Court Opinion, pp. 40-41 (internal citation omitted).
Appellant also contends that the trial court erroneously allowed the Commonwealth to introduce various tape recordings of 911 telephone calls and police transmissions. [54] As the trial court observed, these tapes did not contain any inflammatory screams or impassioned exclamations, and, while they may have been somewhat cumulative, were certainly not prejudicial. See Trial Court Opinion, p. 41. We find no error in the way the trial court ruled on these issues.
Additionally, Appellant argues that the trial court erred in allowing the Commonwealth to present a videotape of Schmoyer's newspaper delivery route and a videotape of the Schmoyer crime scene. Again, however, we find no abuse of discretion in the trial court's rulings. For instance, the silent videotape of the newspaper delivery route was relevant to show the residential neighborhood from which Schmoyer was abducted, because it resembled the locale where each of the other homicides and the attacks on Sam-Cali took place. The videotape of the crime scene was important, because it showed the blood trails left by Appellant, who was injured during the attack. The samples taken from these trails were later used in the comparative analysis of the DNA evidence.
Appellant also contends that the trial court erred in allowing the Commonwealth to introduce physical evidence relating to the assault on Sam-Cali. It appears that the extent of Appellant's argument on this issue is his assertion that the incidents at Sam-Cali's residence were unrelated to the homicides in question. See Brief for Appellant, p. 83. Given that we have already rejected this argument, finding that these incidents completed the story of the criminal episode, the present claim fails as well.