Opinion ID: 2048282
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: issues

Text: On redirect examination, F.B.I. Agent Bell, the witness who identified the latent fingerprints found at the scene of the crime as those of the Defendant, was asked whether he thought exhibits 5 and 6, the latent fingerprints, could have been tampered with. Defendant objected, but the trial court overruled his objection, and Bell testified that, in his opinion, they had not been the subject of tampering. Defendant concedes that the scope of redirect examination is within the discretion of the trial court, Dooley v. State, (1981) Ind., 428 N.E.2d 1, 6, but, nonetheless, contends that the court's ruling constituted an abuse of discretion and denied him a fair trial in that Bell's testimony was beyond the scope of his cross-examination and the line of questioning on redirect examination, called undue emphasis to the validity and sufficiency of such evidence. Although the question and the response it evoked were beyond the scope of cross-examination and, therefore, should not have been allowed, Defendant has not shown how he was harmed by this testimony. Several other witnesses had testified that the exhibits had not been altered in any way. We find no reversible error.