Opinion ID: 1575632
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: showing videotaped interview and deposition during jury deliberations

Text: Defendant also complains that the trial court erred by allowing the jury to review the SAM Clinic videotape of T.N.'s interview at Cardinal Glennon Hospital and T.N.'s videotaped deposition. During deliberations, the jury requested that they be allowed to review T.N.'s videotaped deposition and the SAM Clinic videotaped interview of T.N. The SAM Clinic videotape had been described in the evidence by Ms. Scherzinger, who conducted the interview. The videotape of the interview was admitted into evidence without objection [7] but was not shown to the jury prior to the beginning of their deliberations. Sometime after deliberations had begun, the jury sent a note to the judge requesting certain exhibits, including T.N.'s videotaped deposition and the videotaped interview at the SAM Clinic. The record contains a copy of the note from the jury, with a notation by the judge stating, Sent, and his initials. Both parties acknowledge that the videotaped deposition and the videotaped interview were shown to the jury during deliberations. However, there is nothing on the record to reflect the position of the parties with respect to the court's response to the note and, particularly any objection to or acquiescence in sending the tapes to the jury by either party. Because the record does not indicate what occurred with respect to the use of the videotaped interview and the videotaped deposition during the deliberations, we are unable to determine whether any objection was made by either party or whether the parties may have agreed to the use of the evidence. Defendant cites in support of this point Legal File p. 24 and Supplemental Legal File p. 2. Legal File p. 24 is the note sent down by the jury requesting various items. Supplemental Legal File p. 2 is a handwritten order entered by the trial judge dated September 7, 1990, in which the trial court acknowledges that at the time T.N.'s deposition was played for the jury during the state's case-in-chief, defendant objected on constitutional grounds. This portion of the record has nothing to do with the showing of the deposition, or the videotaped interview during jury deliberations, or what objection, if any, either party made when that occurred. Parties seeking to reverse the trial court on appeal have the obligation to make a record demonstrating the error. Kaelin v. Nuelle, 537 S.W.2d 226 (Mo.App.1976). Thus, in the absence of any record showing what occurred at the trial level related to this claimed error, the Court on appeal is obligated to affirm the trial court. Id. We affirm on this issue.