Page v. Commonwealth

149 S.W.3d 416, 2004 Ky. LEXIS 278, 2004 WL 2623970
CourtKentucky Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 18, 2004
Docket2003-SC-0067-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 149 S.W.3d 416 (Page v. Commonwealth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Kentucky Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Page v. Commonwealth, 149 S.W.3d 416, 2004 Ky. LEXIS 278, 2004 WL 2623970 (Ky. 2004).

Opinions

Opinion of the Court by

Chief Justice LAMBERT.

Appellant, Horace William Page, appeals as a matter of right1 from the final judgment of the Allen Circuit Court sentencing him to fifty-two (52) years imprisonment on two (2) counts of second-degree manslaughter, two (2) counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence, failing to render aid and assistance, and being a persistent felony offender in the second degree. The issues are whether the trial court erred when it admitted photographs of a deceased person and a telephone pole with brain matter on it, whether the trial court erred in denying Appellant’s motion for directed verdict as to the charge of tampering with physical evidence, and whether the consecutive sentencing was contrary to KRS 532.110(1)(c).

On the evening of September 23, 2001, Appellant was visiting Shawta Lynn Birge, his sister, at her home. Appellant’s brother, two nieces, and roommate were also at the residence. At approximately 10:00 p.m., Appellant, his brother, Shawn Page, Shawta, and her two daughters left in Appellant’s car to go to his home. Roger Martin, Appellant’s roommate, drove separately.

Appellant had been drinking earlier in the evening. During the drive Appellant lost control of the car, skidded off the road, and struck a telephone pole. After the impact, Appellant pulled the unconscious Shawta out of the vehicle, and left the scene of the accident to seek help:

Appellant’s roommate, Roger Martin, had been following Appellant. Martin saw Appellant’s lights disappear, but thought that Appellant had turned around to get Shawta’s daughter’s medicine. Martin continued on his way home. When Appellant and his passengers did not show up, Martin became worried and returned to look for them. Martin found Appellant walking back toward the wreck after attempting to get help at a nearby residence. Martin left to find David Page, another of Appellant’s brothers, and brought him to the scene of the accident.

Martin and David Page attempted to remove Shawn Page and Shawta’s children from the rear seat of Appellant’s car. Martin said that Bethany Birge, Shawta’s daughter, had a skull that felt like an “egg shell,” and that after touching it there was blood on his hands. David Page removed the children from the car, but was unable to remove his brother, Shawn Page.

Appellant was on probation from a previous felony conviction when the accident occurred. Martin told David Page that Appellant could “get five years” for being in trouble while on probation. David Page told Martin and Appellant to leave, and promised to tell the police that he had [419]*419been driving Appellant’s car when the accident occurred. After Martin and Appellant returned to their home, David Page remained at the scene and told the police that he had been the driver.

After arriving at home, Martin made two telephone calls to 911. In his first phone conversation, Martin told the 911 operator that a third party had reported the accident to him. Martin stated later that he had lied to the 911 operator because he was afraid Appellant would get into trouble for driving under the influence. In his second call, after Appellant had cleaned off the dirt and blood from the accident from his body, Martin told the 911 operator that David Page had been driving Appellant’s car when the wreck occurred.

Shawta and Bethany Birge were taken to Bowling Green Medical Center where they died in the early hours of Saturday, September 24, 2001.

During the accident investigation conducted by Allen County Deputy Sheriff Terry Beach and Kentucky State Police Trooper Dathan Tarrance, David Page recanted the statement that he had been driving the car at the time of the wreck. David Page told the officers that Appellant had been driving the car when the accident occurred. When police located Appellant on the evening of September 24, the alcohol that had been in his system at the time of the accident and any physical signs of intoxication had dissipated. Tarrance believed the physical evidence at the scene indicated that the driver of the vehicle was impaired at the time of the accident, but that it was not possible to get an analysis of Appellant’s blood content at the time of the wreck.

On appeal, Appellant first argues that the trial court erred by introducing into evidence two photographs of the accident scene: one of the deceased Bethany Birge, lying in a field, marked as Commonwealth’s Exhibit 7; and one of brain tissue on a telephone pole, marked as Commonwealth’s Exhibit 8. Appellant suggests that the defense’s willingness to stipulate that the impact with the telephone pole was the cause of Bethany Birge’s death should have prevented the photographs from being admitted. Appellant contends that these photographs should have been excluded because their probative value was substantially outweighed by the danger of undue prejudice as prohibited by KRE 403.2

At trial, the Commonwealth moved to introduce three photographs: two of Bethany Birge’s body, and one of the telephone pole with brain matter on it. Appellant initially objected to the introduction of two pictures of the body, an objection which the trial court sustained. The Commonwealth was allowed to introduce one of the photographs of Bethany’s body, Commonwealth’s Exhibit 7. Appellant did not voice further objections to the admission of the single photograph of Bethany’s body, and as such, failed to preserve the issue for review. Appellant reiterated his objection to the photograph of the telephone pole.

Appellant argues that his willingness to stipulate that the vehicle’s impact with the pole was the cause of death for Shawta and Bethany Birge should have led to the photograph’s exclusion. Appellant believes that because he offered to stipulate that the telephone pole was the cause of death, no material fact as to the cause of death [420]*420existed. Therefore a photograph depicting the scene of Bethany’s death would not be probative to prove a material fact in issue. Appellant posits that due to its prejudicial effect and lack of relevance to a disputed fact, the photograph should have been excluded pursuant to KRE 403.

In determining whether to exclude evidence a trial court should consider three factors: the probative worth of the evidence, the probability that the evidence will cause undue prejudice, and whether the harmful effects substantially outweigh the probative worth.3 Broad discretion is given to the trial court in determining the admissibility of evidence, such that an appellate court should only reverse a ruling under KRE 403 where there has been clear abuse of discretion.4 Although the photograph did show brain matter on the telephone pole, as a general rule a photograph is not inadmissible because it is gruesome and the crime is heinous.5 It is well decided that the prosecution is permitted to prove its case by competent evidence of its own choosing, and that the defendant may not stipulate away parts of the case that he does not want the jury to see.6 Moreover, this Court has held that in order for a jury to be able to size up a case fairly and wisely it must be allowed to gain a reasonable perspective, and that can best be done by permitting it to see an unadulterated picture.7

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Page v. Commonwealth
149 S.W.3d 416 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
149 S.W.3d 416, 2004 Ky. LEXIS 278, 2004 WL 2623970, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/page-v-commonwealth-ky-2004.