Opinion ID: 867372
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Photographs admitted to prove (F)(6) aggravating circumstance

Text: ¶ 22 Pandeli next contends that the trial court erred when it admitted photographs of Holly Iler's body, photographs of a Confederate flag found in Pandeli's van, and a photograph of his body that showed his tattoos. We review a trial court's rulings on the admissibility of photographic evidence for abuse of discretion. McGill, 213 Ariz. at 154, ¶ 30, 140 P.3d at 937. ¶ 23 Relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Ariz. R. Evid. 403. When assessing the admissibility of photographs, we consider the photographs' relevance, the likelihood that the photographs will incite the jurors' passions, and the photographs' probative value compared to their prejudicial impact. McGill, 213 Ariz. at 154, ¶ 30, 140 P.3d at 937 (citing State v. Davolt, 207 Ariz. 191, 208, ¶ 60, 84 P.3d 456, 473 (2004)). Because [t]here is nothing sanitary about murder, nothing requires a trial judge to make it so. State v. Rienhardt, 190 Ariz. 579, 584, 951 P.2d 454, 459 (1997). Photographs, however, cannot be introduced for the sole purpose of inflaming the jury. State v. Gerlaugh, 134 Ariz. 164, 169, 654 P.2d 800, 805 (1982).
¶ 24 Pandeli specifically objects to the admission of exhibits 40, 44, 100, 102, 103, and 105 because they were gruesome and inflammatory. The State introduced the photographs to support testimony establishing the heinous and depraved prongs of the (F)(6) aggravating factor. The six contested photographs depict the victim's body at the scene of the crime as well as during the autopsy. They illustrate all of her wounds including the bruising to her face, her nipple excision wounds, and her slashed throat. All of the contested photographs are relevant. See Hampton, 213 Ariz. at 173, ¶ 20, 140 P.3d at 956 (finding photographs relevant that showed the nature and the placement of the victim['s] injuries). ¶ 25 Pandeli argues, however, that the photographs were irrelevant and introduced to inflame the passions of the jury because the defense did not contest, and indeed had offered to stipulate to, the facts of the murder. On this issue, we have stated that [e]ven if a defendant does not contest certain issues, photographs are still admissible if relevant because the burden to prove every element of the crime is not relieved by a defendant's tactical decision not to contest an essential element of the offense. State v. Dickens, 187 Ariz. 1, 18, 926 P.2d 468, 485 (1996) (internal quotation marks omitted). Moreover, in this case, while Pandeli was willing to stipulate to having killed Iler, he did not offer to stipulate that the murder was heinous and depraved. The State thus still had to prove this aggravating circumstance. ¶ 26 In addition to being relevant, the photographs are not unduly prejudicial. Only one photograph, exhibit 40, is gruesome. It shows the victim's face, neck, and breasts, covered with blood, dirt, and other debris. The trial judge, however, carefully considered whether to admit exhibit 40 and did not admit similar photographs of the victim that were more gruesome. Although the judge acknowledged its gruesomeness, he nonetheless found the probative value of exhibit 40 not outweighed by unfair prejudice. We hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the photographs of Iler's body.
¶ 27 Pandeli asserts that exhibits 59, 64, and 65 were irrelevant and prejudicial, and therefore were improperly admitted. These photographs, like the photographs of Iler's body, were admitted to prove the (F)(6) aggravating circumstance. Exhibit 65 depicts the side of Pandeli's van and shows that he used a Confederate flag as a window covering. Exhibit 59 is a close-up photograph of the Confederate flag that shows some blood spatter. Exhibit 64 shows Pandeli standing shirtless, shortly after his arrest. It reveals tattoos on his upper arms and the upperleft side of his chest. The photograph was taken from a distance so the viewer cannot discern what the tattoos depict. ¶ 28 The photographs of the Confederate flag are relevant. Exhibit 59 shows the victim's blood on the flag, and exhibit 65 shows the van in which the murder took place. The photograph of Pandeli is also relevant because it depicts Pandeli's physical condition at the time of the murder and shows no visible injuries or defensive wounds resulting from the crime. Although relevant, the photographs had minimal probative value. Pandeli had already stipulated to the existence of blood on the flag, and the facts that the murder took place in the van and the absence of injuries to Pandeli were not contested. ¶ 29 The photographs, however, are also minimally prejudicial. The Confederate flag photographs had little prejudicial impact because the defense stipulated to the existence of blood on the Confederate flag taken from the rear side window of Pandeli's van. We find it unlikely that the photographs of the flag prejudiced the jury any more than the stipulation. Cf. McGill, 213 Ariz. at 155, ¶ 32, 140 P.3d at 938 (We consider it unlikely that the pictures added much to any sense of shock the jurors experienced from hearing the injuries described.). The photograph of Pandeli was also minimally prejudicial because his tattoos cannot be discerned and the mere presence of tattoos is not shocking or prejudice-inducing. Therefore, although the photographs had little probative value, the court did not abuse its discretion in admitting them. See State v. Cañez, 202 Ariz. 133, 154, ¶ 67, 42 P.3d 564, 585 (2002) (finding no abuse of discretion in admitting evidence that was both minimally probative and minimally prejudicial).