Opinion ID: 1654062
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Counsel failed to object to the admission of testimony regarding decomposition of the victim's body even though it incited bias and passion in the jury.

Text: ¶ 19. Dr. Stephen Hayne testified that upon beginning his autopsy on the body of Linda Hillman, he noted that the body was in the early stages of decomposition and there was a slight green discoloration to the face. Dr. Hayne gave his opinion that due to the summer temperatures present at the time of Hillman's death, and the fact that she was found in a trailer without air conditioning, one could see this level of decomposition as early as eight hours. Shaddock did not object to this testimony, and now Davis alleges that Shaddock was ineffective for failure to do so, alleging that this testimony incited bias and passion in the jury. Davis cites Welch v. State, 566 So.2d 680, 685 (Miss.1990), where this Court found reversible error on another issue, and in addition found that certain autopsy photographs which had been introduced were so gruesome and lacking in probative value as to be overly prejudicial and inflammatory. The State argues that Dr. Hayne's testimony was relevant and not objectionable. The testimony was limited and clinical in nature and was relevant to the issue of time of death. As such we find that Shaddock did not perform deficiently, nor was he ineffective for failure to object to this limited testimony.