Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
Table of Contents
Criminal Procedure
Indictment & Pleading Issues
Arrest, Search, and Investigation
Criminal Offenses
Drug Offenses
State v. Anderson, 200 N.C. App. 216 (Oct. 6, 2009)
The State laid a proper foundation to establish the relevancy of a demonstration by an expert witness who used a doll to illustrate how shaken baby syndrome occurs and the amount of force necessary to cause the victim’s injuries, where a demonstration of how the injuries were inflicted was relevant to defendant’s intent to harm the victim. The demonstration did not have to be substantially similar to the manner in which the crime occurred because that standard applies to experiments, not demonstrations. Finally the demonstration was not unduly prejudicial and would not cause the jury decide the case on emotion.