Opinion ID: 1160457
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Objection to Testimony About Photographic Display

Text: At the guilt phase, in their case-in-chief, the People called Greta Slatten to the witness stand. On direct examination, she testified that she was robbed, and identified defendant as the perpetrator. On cross-examination by defendant, who inquired into the reliability of the identification, she stated in substance as follows: Not long after the robbery, she saw a photograph, which proved to be defendant's, accompanying an article in a local newspaper about the homicide of Allen Birkman; she believed it depicted the robber; Detective Darrell Edwards of the Sacramento Sheriff's Department came to her home; she showed him the newspaper photograph and told him her belief; he then showed her a display of photographs  which she described on defendant's inquiry; she selected one, which turned out to be defendant's; she thought the newspaper and display photographs of defendant might have derived from the same source. In his case, defendant called Detective Edwards. On direct examination, Edwards testified that he went to Slatten's home to show her the photographic display in order to determine whether she could identify defendant as the robber; before he could show her the display photographs, she showed him the newspaper photograph and said she believed it depicted the robber; he then showed her the display photographs  which he then described on defendant's inquiry; she selected defendant's; the newspaper and display photographs of defendant did in fact derive from the same source. Defendant then asked Detective Edwards how he prepared the photographic display. The People objected that any response would be irrelevant. Determining that the appearance of the display might have some tendency in reason to prove or disprove a disputed fact bearing on a material issue, viz., the identity of the robber, but that its genesis would not, the superior court sustained the objection. Edwards did not respond. Defendant apparently expressed an intention to question Robert Shomer, Ph.D., a psychologist, as to how one should prepare a photographic display. The superior court stated that it would sustain an objection that any response would be irrelevant for the same reason. Defendant called Dr. Shomer. On direct examination, Dr. Shomer gave expert testimony on the suggestiveness of photographic displays in general and also on the suggestiveness of the photographic display in this cause in particular. More broadly, he gave similar testimony on the unreliability of identification by eyewitnesses in general and also on the unreliability of the identification by Slatten in particular. (17) Defendant now contends that the superior court erred by sustaining the People's objection that any response by Detective Edwards as to how he prepared the photographic display would be irrelevant, and also by stating that it would sustain a similar objection concerning any response by Dr. Shomer as to how one should prepare such a display. An appellate court reviews a trial court's passing on an objection based on the irrelevance of evidence for abuse of discretion. That is because, as we have stated, it so scrutinizes the underlying determination whether the evidence is indeed irrelevant. We find no abuse of discretion here. As to both Detective Edwards and Dr. Shomer, the superior court could have determined, not at all unreasonably, that the genesis of the photographic display had no tendency in reason to prove or disprove any disputed fact bearing on a material issue. Defendant's contrary argument is that the display might have been unduly suggestive. But that fact, if it is a fact, turns on its appearance. He was not prevented from inquiring into that matter. Indeed, he did so inquire, in his cross-examination of Slatten, his direct examination of Detective Edwards, and his direct examination of Dr. Shomer. He was not entitled to more. [15]