Opinion ID: 2097496
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of King's Shoe

Text: King contends the trial court erred by overruling his objection and admitting Exhibit 19, one of his tennis shoes. The shoe had the same pattern as a shoe print found on an air conditioner below Jefferson's apartment. King argues the State failed to establish a chain of custody. The purpose of the chain of custody rule is to avoid claims of substitution, tampering, or mistake. Wolfe v. State (1978), 270 Ind. 81, 383 N.E.2d 317. Non-fungible items do not require the high degree of scrutiny that must be applied to fungible items. Boyd v. State (1986), Ind., 494 N.E.2d 284, cert. denied (1987), ___ U.S. ___, 107 S.Ct. 910, 93 L.Ed.2d 860. Sergeant Smilko testified that Lieutenant Spencer recovered the shoe from King. They placed the shoe in a brown paper bag and filled out an evidence card giving the time, date and place of recovery. Sergeant Beasley took the shoe out of the brown bag at trial. He said he had seen King with the shoe on. The chain of custody was adequate.