I may have missed some important moments of the trial, so forgive me if I am wrong, but is this one of the first times they have actually opened the paper bags, removed evidence and passed it among the jury?
I'm not saying everything should necessarily be passed among the jury, but I am so glad they finally started doing this because it is real, tangible evidence they can hold in their hands, items from the actual date and circumstances, and this, IMO, not only directly involves the jury but gives them much more of a sense of the evidence than simply an attorney handing a witness a paper bag and discussing the item without opening it, showing it, etc.
Why can't they do this with some of the other evidence? I was thinking the state would pull out the blanket, show some of these other things that were in those paper bags at earlier points in the trial, making it a much more real and visceral experience for the jury than just discussing them with photos.