Court Opinion

ID: 9678221
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:14:42.19151+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:02.806752
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON PETITION TO REHEAR
COOPER, Justice.
Defendant has filed a petition to rehear insisting that the court has erroneously ruled on several issues, or has failed to consider them. On considering the petition and the briefs originally filed, we find that all material issues were considered and, in our opinion, properly decided. One of the issues, based on the admission in evidence of fragments of the victim’s skull, was not discussed in detail in our finding that no prejudicial error was committed in either the convicting or sentencing phase of the trial. As to this issue, the parties stipulated prior to trial that Mrs. Smith’s death was the result of a shot in the back of the head from a high-powered rifle. The defendant argues that in light of the stipulation the introduction of the skull and skull fragments was improper because no relevant issue remained to be proven.
The record shows that the state introduced in evidence the skull fragments in lieu of a picture of the body of Mrs. Smith in its decomposed state. The examining pathologist, Dr. Bass, used the skull to indicate to the jury where the bullet entered. He also used fragments to dem*251onstrate that they contained lead splatters consistent with an injury from a bullet fired from a high-powered rifle at close range. Further, as pointed out by the state, the fragments could be of material assistance to the jury in visualizing the massive injury which caused Mrs. Smith’s death and had some bearing on proving the element of deliberation and premeditation, an issue which the defendant would not concede. The evidence, being relevant to issues to be decided by the jury, was admissible in our opinion. See State v. Morris, 641 S.W.2d 883 (Tenn.1982). Being admissible, it was proper for the prosecution to call attention to the exhibit in his argument. And, if his comments were improper, considering the evidence in this case, they could not have affected the jury’s verdict in either the guilt or sentencing phase of the trial.
Petition to Rehear denied, at the cost of the Appellant.
BROCK, C.J., and FONES, HARBISON and DROWOTA, JJ., concur.