Direct Examination
Actual objects, pictures, models and other devices which are supposedly intended to clarify the facts for the judge and jury: how an accident occurred, actual damages, medical problems, or methods used in committing an alleged crime. many of these are not supposed to be actual evidence, but “aids” to understanding. a model of a knee or a photograph of an accident scene obviously helps, but color photos of an operation in progress or a bullet-riddled body can excite the passions of a jury. the borderline balance between legitimate aids and evidence intended to inflame a juror’s emotions is in the hands of the trial judge.
