Opinion ID: 1928294
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of Prosthetic Device

Text: Brown says that the trial court abused its discretion by prohibiting him from demonstrating to the jury how his artificial leg functioned, and the means by which it was attached to his body. Prosthetic devices are admissible in evidence in the discretion of the trial judge, provided that they are not unduly inflammatory, or offensive, and do not unjustly arouse sympathy for or prejudice against a party. See 29 Am.Jur.2d § 772, p. 842; 83 A.L.R.2d 1273, Annotation § 3; Cf. McElroy, The Law of Evidence in Alabama, Vol. 2, § 207.01(5) (exhibiting injury to the jury). From our examination of the evidence, it appears that Brown showed the jury about everything there was to show regarding his artificial leg. For example, part of Brown's testimony included: Q. Now, you are now wearing an artificial leg? Was that artificial leg part of the treatment you received from this accident? A. Yes.       Q. Mr. Brown, now you wore this leg down here on Monday, did you not? A. Yes. Q. And I noticed yesterday you were not wearing the leg. Will you explain that to the jury? A. They got a thing on here that'll bend and told me to wear I got a belt that fastens to my belt and I had to work with my knee and sometimes it hurts me to sit in these chairs on the back of my leg. Q. Is that the reason you did not wear your leg yesterday and today? A. That's the reason I didn't wear my leg. Q. Will you pull up your britches leg now and let's show the jury this leg? How it works? You mind if we take your shoe off? Now, do you have anything in the ankle that moves? A. Unh unh. Q. There's no joint in the ankle, that's what I was wondering about. A. No joint. Q. And it moves in the knee joint? A. In the knee. Q. Now, pull the britches leg on up there and let's see what we can see. Can you stand up on it without a shoe on? A. Yeah, I can stand up. Q. Now, how far does it come? Show the jury. Comes on up to the hip, right? A. Yes. Q. Is it uncomfortable? A. Well, not too bad, and that pain Q. Now, when you say it pains you, what do you mean, describe that to the jury.       Q. What holds it to your body? A. A belt. Q. Is that belt comfortable? A. No.       Q. Yes, sir. All right, sir. You know how much that leg weighs? A. Nine and a half pounds. Q. Do you find it difficult to walk any distance with that leg? A. Yes, I do. We think that Mr. Brown got his full measure of demonstration across to the jury. We find this contention to be without merit.