Opinion ID: 1903149
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: whether the trial court erred in admitting into evidence photographs of the victim with gunshot wounds to his head and arm.

Text: ¶ 34. Whittington raises this issue in his brief but never discusses it. The State recognizes this fact in its brief but proceeds to address the issue on the merits. We will accordingly address this issue on its merits. ¶ 35. It is well settled in this state that the admissibility of photographs rests within the sound discretion of the trial judge. Westbrook v. State, 658 So.2d 847, 849 (Miss.1995) (citing Griffin v. State, 557 So.2d 542 (Miss.1990)), see also Mackbee v. State, 575 So.2d 16, 31 (Miss. 1990); Boyd v. State, 523 So.2d 1037, 1039 (Miss.1988). Photographs that are gruesome or inflammatory or that lack an evidentiary purpose are inadmissible as evidence. McNeal v. State, 551 So.2d 151, 159 (Miss.1989). The decision of the trial judge will not be disturbed absent a showing of an abuse of discretion. Westbrook, 658 So.2d at 849 (citing Herring v. State, 374 So.2d 784, 789 (Miss.1979)), see also Cabello v. State, 471 So.2d 332, 341 (Miss. 1985). ¶ 36. In Brown v. State, 690 So.2d 276, 289 (Miss.1996), this Court stated: In Westbrook v. State, 658 So.2d 847, 849 (Miss.1995), this Court found that photographs of a victim have evidentiary value when they aid in describing the circumstances of the killing, Williams v. State, 354 So.2d 266 (Miss.1978); describe the location of the body and cause of death, Ashley v. State, 423 So.2d 1311 (Miss.1982); or supplement or clarify witness testimony, Hughes v. State, 401 So.2d 1100 (Miss.1981). ¶ 37. At the beginning of the trial, Whittington made a motion in limine to have any pictures ruled inadmissible on the grounds that they were more prejudicial than probative. The trial judge examined the photographs and ruled them admissible. The judge specifically ruled that the photographs would be helpful in aiding Dr. Hayne in his testimony. He also noted that the autopsy pictures were made before any incisions were made and that no internal organs were showing. Under the standards set forth in Brown, the photographs were properly admitted into evidence. As such, this assignment of error is without merit. IV. WHETHER THE VERDICT WAS AGAINST THE OVERWHELMING WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE. V. WHETHER JUSTICE WOULD BE BEST SERVED BY THE SETTING ASIDE OF THE VERDICT OF THE JURY AND THE ENTRY OF A VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY OR THE GRANTING OF A NEW TRIAL. ¶ 38. Whittington next contends that the verdict was against the overwhelming weight and sufficiency of the evidence and, as a result, that the verdict should be set aside or a new trial granted. Because these issues are related, they will be addressed together. ¶ 39. After the State rested its case, Whittington made a motion for a directed verdict which was denied by the trial court. Whittington then offered evidence in his own defense. ¶ 40. A motion for directed verdict challenges the legal sufficiency of the evidence offered to that point of trial to sustain a guilty verdict. Following the denial of his motion for directed verdict, Whittington offered evidence in his own defense, thereby waiving challenge to the sufficiency of the State's evidence up to that point in time. Bailey v. State, 729 So.2d 1255, 1264 (Miss.1999), Stringer v. State, 557 So.2d 796, 797 (Miss.1990). ¶ 41. This, however, does not preclude Whittington from challenging the weight or sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the judgment against him. Id. (citations omitted ) All evidence is examined by this Court in determining its sufficiency. Id. As we noted in Bailey, When on appeal one convicted of a criminal offense challenges the legal sufficiency of the evidence, our authority to interfere with the jury's verdict is quite limited. We proceed by considering all of the evidence-not just that supporting the case for the prosecution-in the light most consistent with the verdict. We give [the] prosecution the benefit of all favorable inferences that may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. If the facts and inferences so considered point in favor of the accused with sufficient force that reasonable men could not have found beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty, reversal and discharge are required. On the other hand, if there is in the record substantial evidence of such quality and weight that, having in mind the beyond a reasonable doubt burden of proof standard, reasonable and fair-minded jurors in the exercise of impartial judgment might have reached different conclusions, the verdict of guilty is thus placed beyond our authority to disturb. Bailey, 729 So.2d at 1264, ( quoting McFee v. State, 511 So.2d 130, 133-34 (Miss.1987) ( citations omitted )). ¶ 42. Whittington was indicted for murder of Timothy Hodges, a human being, in violation of Miss.Code Ann. § 97-3-19. At trial, the State offered numerous witnesses to prove its case. ¶ 43. Ashley testified as investigating officer and case agent. As case agent, Ashley outlined the evidence that the State would offer during trial. ¶ 44. Ashley testified that he talked with Lacking at the scene, and, as a result of that conversation in which Lacking identified Whittington as the perpetrator, he sent uniformed officers to arrest Whittington at his home. Ashley drew the twoblock route from the crime scene to Whittington's home. Ashley also sketched a drawing that showed the position of Building 22 in the apartment complex to the location of the body at the crime scene. Both drawings were helpful in giving the jury a basis for the testimony of Lacking and Brown. Ashley further testified as to the good condition of the street lights in that area. ¶ 45. Ashley then testified concerning the different identifications of Whittington as the one who murdered Hodges. Ashley first testified that White unable to positively identify Whittington from a photo lineup. However, White was later able to positively identify Whittington at a physical lineup. ¶ 46. Ashley further testified that no test was done on Whittington's hands to detect gunshot residue. Ashley testified that because Whittington was washing dishes when arrested, any residue left by primers when firing a gun would have been washed away. ¶ 47. Ashley also testified that when Whittington's home was searched, a black and gold jacket was found. This corroborated the eyewitness statements of Lacking, White, and Brown that the perpetrator was wearing a black jacket. Ashley testified that no test for gun shot residue was performed on the jacket because the State Crime Lab had advised him that such a test would be useless. ¶ 48. Emily Lacking testified that she had known Whittington for a few months before the shooting. Lacking testified that at about 1:30 a.m. on the morning of the murder she heard four shots. After hearing those shots, she saw Whittington running up the hill away from the crime scene waiving a gun and yelling. Lacking testified that Whittington was yelling obscenities and wanting to know who would testify against him. She then saw his mother come out and meet him. Both retreated to Whittington's home. Lacking further testified that there was plenty of light coming from the streetlights to allow her to clearly see Whittington, who was dressed in black. ¶ 49. Stephen Brown testified that he was in Building 22 at the apartment complex when he saw Whittington shoot Hodges. He also testified that he had known Whittington before the murder. Brown testified that he heard three or four shots and then heard Whittington yelling obscenities, asking who would testify against him. Brown further testified that he saw Whittington shoot Hodges, then kick him in the face when he fell. He testified that the lights were off in the bedroom but that lights were on outside, allowing him to clearly see Whittington shoot Hodges. ¶ 50. Jacque White testified that he had driven with Hodges to the apartments. White testified that he saw Whittington shoot Hodges. He also testified that he was within six feet of Hodges at the time he was shot and that, because of the lighting, he could clearly see Whittington. White also testified that even though he had trouble positively identifying Whittington in a photo lineup, he had no problem identifying him in a physical lineup. White also testified that Whittington was wearing dark clothes. White testified that he had smoked crack cocaine earlier that night; however, he was not under its influence at the time of the crime and was sure that Whittington was the one who had murdered Hodges. ¶ 51. Dr. Stephen Hayne testified that Hodges had received two gunshot wounds: one to the arm and one to the head. The shot to the head was fatal. Dr. Hayne also testified that Hodges had a bruise and cut on his forehead, corroborating Brown's testimony that Whittington had kicked Hodges when he fell. Dr. Hayne testified that there would have been no gunshot residue on Whittington's hand because he had washed dishes before being arrested. ¶ 52. The defense then put on its case. The first defense witness was Roger Johnson, who testified that he had been with Whittington until sometime between 12:30 and 1:00 a.m. on the morning of the murder. However, it was brought out on cross-examination that Johnson had previously told the State that he had dropped Whittington at his home at 12:30 a.m. Johnson also testified that Whittington was wearing a black jacket when he dropped him at home. ¶ 53. Whittington's mother, Jean Whittington, testified that her son came home at approximately 1:00 or 1:30 a.m. She vehemently denied that Whittington arrived home later than 1:30 a.m. However, it was brought out on cross-examination that she told the officers who had arrested Whittington that he had been home less than one hour when they arrived at the home at approximately 2:40 a.m. ¶ 54. On rebuttal, the State called Officer David Elson to the stand. Elston, the officer who arrested Whittington, stated that he arrived at the Whittington home around 2:40 a.m. and found Whittington washing dishes. Elson also testified that Whittington's mother told him that Whittington had been home less than an hour. ¶ 55. This Court's ability to interfere with a jury verdict is quite limited. This Court must give the prosecution the benefit of all favorable inferences that may be drawn from the evidence. ¶ 56. In the case sub judice, there were two eyewitnesses, Brown and White, to the actual shooting. In addition, there was a witness, Lacking, who saw Whittington leaving the crime scene, waving a gun in the air and shouting. Another witness, Brown, corroborated Lacking's statement regarding Whittington waiving the gun in the air and shouting. ¶ 57. On cross-examination, the State was able to cast doubt upon the two defense witnesses' statements regarding the time Whittington arrived home. While the defense did offer an alibi defense, the discrepancies between the State's case and that of the defense were properly left for the jury. As such, these two issues are without merit.