Opinion ID: 2508322
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of the Videotaped Reenactment

Text: Defendant contends People's exhibit No. 73, a videotaped reenactment of the route to the location where defendant shot Davis on May 4, 1987, was cumulative to other evidence and unduly prejudicial, in violation of Evidence Code section 352. The videotape, which had no sound, was made by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office on January 15, 1992, almost five years after defendant shot Davis in the face. It was taken from a car similar to the station wagon in which defendant and his brother Gino Harrison transported Davis, with a police officer in the driver's seat taking the role of Gino, another officer in the front passenger seat taking defendant's role, and Davis in the back seat. The tape began at 98th Avenue and Bancroft, where Davis began his ride with the Harrison brothers, and ended at the park where Davis was shot, with the officers and Davis reenacting the fight. At trial, the court held a hearing on defendant's motion in limine regarding the admissibility of the videotape. Defendant argued that the lighting conditions in the videotape, which was made in broad daylight, were unlike the conditions at the time of the shooting, which occurred at night, and that the videotape was thus improper demonstrative evidence. He also argued that the videotape was cumulative to testimonial and physical evidence and unduly prejudicial under Evidence Code section 352. The court concluded the difference in lighting did not make the videotape inadmissible, and stated: [I]t helped me understand the testimony [of Davis] better, and I assume, therefore, it would help the jury, and it would be more real than looking at a map. But the court ruled that the end of the videotape, depicting the reenactment of the assault, should not be admitted because it was not made under the same lighting conditions and was not exactly as Davis described it. The redacted videotape ended with the station wagon stopping at the park, before anyone got out. Before playing the redacted videotape for the jury, the court instructed that the tape was not intended to show the lighting conditions or to attempt to recreate the visual experience that occurred but rather to show the route taken, as described by Davis. As the tape was played for the jury, the prosecutor questioned Davis about it. In ruling on the admissibility of videotapes under Evidence Code section 352, `the court enjoys broad discretion in deciding whether prejudice substantially outweighs probative value.' [Citation.] ( People v. Michaels (2002) 28 Cal.4th 486, 532, 122 Cal.Rptr.2d 285, 49 P.3d 1032.) Defendant's contention that the trial court erred under Evidence Code section 352 in admitting the videotape because it was cumulative of the testimonial and other physical evidence presented lacks merit. (See, e.g., People v. Michaels, supra, 28 Cal.4th at p. 532, 122 Cal. Rptr.2d 285, 49 P.3d 1032; People v. Hart (1999) 20 Cal.4th 546, 616, 85 Cal.Rptr.2d 132, 976 P.2d 683; People v. Scheid, supra, 16 Cal.4th at p. 19, 65 Cal.Rptr.2d 348, 939 P.2d 748.) As the court noted, the videotape could assist the jury in understanding and evaluating Davis's testimony. Moreover, we have reviewed the videotape and do not find it unduly prejudicial. As the trial court observed, it merely depicted the route taken. Thus, the court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the videotape. Defendant also contends that the admission of the videotape at the penalty phase retrial violated Evidence Code section 352. Because he failed to object to the admission of this evidence at the penalty phase retrial, he may not raise the issue for the first time on appeal. ( People v. Hart, supra, 20 Cal.4th at p. 615, 85 Cal. Rptr.2d 132, 976 P.2d 683.) Even if defendant had preserved the challenge, for the reasons discussed above, the trial court did not err in admitting the videotape.