Opinion ID: 1598918
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the trial court erred in admitting unnecessary and gruesome autopsy photographs into evidence.

Text: ¶ 91. In his eleventh assignment, Burns argues that the court below committed reversible error when it allowed unduly gruesome autopsy photographs into evidence. Burns alleges that the photographs were admitted solely to inflame the passions of the jury. ¶ 92. The State argues that the photographs were not unduly prejudicial but were highly probative. In McNeal v. State , this Court cautioned trial courts to consider all the facts and circumstances surrounding the admission of inflammatory photographs. Specifically, the trial court must consider, (1) whether the proof is absolute or in doubt as to the identity of the guilty party, and, (2) whether the photographs are necessary evidence or simply a ploy on the part of the prosecutor to arouse the passion and prejudice of the jury. McNeal v. State, 551 So.2d 151, 159 (Miss.1989). ¶ 93. This Court has allowed photographs to show the different wounds to the victim, Jenkins v. State, 607 So.2d 1171, 1175 (Miss. 1992), and in cases where they aided in the description of the circumstances of the murder and the corpse. Westbrook v. State, 658 So.2d 847, 849 (Miss.1995). ¶ 94. The photographs in question were autopsy photos, as well as, crime scene photos of the victim. Their probative value was that they accurately depicted the wounds suffered by McBride, which were stipulated to in the autopsy report prepared by Dr. Emily Ward, the state medical examiner at the time of McBride's death. Based on the broad discretion afforded the trial judge, the case law, and the pictures themselves, the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in admitting these photographs. This assignment of error is without merit.