California Court of Appeal

In a prosecution for burglary of a model home in which the defendant's fingerprints were found on a vase, the judgment of conviction is affirmed, where: 1) evidence of regular cleaning of the home, combined with the defendant's post-arrest statements, permitted the jury reasonably to infer that the fingerprints were in fact impressed at the time of the offense and not at some earlier date; and 2) the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting expert testimony regarding the durability of fingerprints, as it was within the realm of the witness's expertise.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/24/2012
• Published 02/24/2012

Judges

• Klein

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• John Raphling, Victoria B. Wilson