Opinion ID: 2517672
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Boyd's Admissions

Text: Petitioner alleges Calvin Boyd made incriminating admissions to several people, strongly suggesting he had participated in the murders. As we describe below, various witnesses testified at the evidentiary hearing and, although Boyd refuted their claims, the referee found Boyd was not a credible witness. Respondent takes exception to the referee's findings as to these witnesses on the ground that Boyd testified and contradicted them, but the referee made credibility determinations to which we defer because they are supported by substantial evidence. Accordingly, we overrule respondent's exceptions. Evidence of Boyd's incriminating admissions, coupled with other evidence, could have convinced a reasonable jury to entertain some doubt as to the extent of petitioner's participation in the murders.
Raynall Burney was a resident of the Vose Street apartments at the time of the murders. Petitioner alleges that [s]hortly before the killings, Raynall Burney overheard Boyd say that he was looking for a hit man; Boyd later told Burney that he should say nothing about the conversation about the hit man. These allegations are supported by Burney's testimony at the evidentiary hearing that he heard Boyd tell a friend that someone had asked him if he knew someone that could do a hit for this certain individual, and that they would get paid for doing it. Later, Burney overheard Boyd tell the same person not to mention the conversation to anyone. The referee specifically credited Burney's testimony, concluding that [i]n testifying at the reference hearing, Boyd made a number of statements which were shown to be false[, including] ... that he did not tell ... Raynall Burney ... that he had participated in the planning and/or the carrying out of the murders in this case. The referee also concluded that although Boyd denied making the statements overheard by Burney, Boyd generally lacked credibility. (Italics added.) Respondent, in his return, denies Burney actually overheard Boyd make such comments, relying on Boyd's testimony in which he denied participation in the murders and claimed that, on the night of the murders, he was in his apartment, having passed out from consuming too much alcohol. [9] The referee, however, reasonably found Boyd was not credible. Respondent takes exception to the referee's finding that Burney was credible on the grounds that Burney had suffered a 1983 felony conviction for oral copulation and had failed to come forward with his evidence at the time of trial. The referee was aware of Burney's felony conviction, but determined he was nevertheless truthful. In addition, Burney explained in his declaration why he did not come forward earlierhe was not aware petitioner faced the death penalty and would have come forward had he knownand he testified at the hearing that everything in his declaration was true. As the referee ha[d] the opportunity to observe the witnesses' demeanor and manner of testifying ( In re Malone, supra, 12 Cal.4th at p. 946, 50 Cal.Rptr.2d 281, 911 P.2d 468), information unavailable to this court, and his conclusion is supported by substantial evidence, we defer to his credibility determination ( In re Thomas, supra, 37 Cal.4th at p. 1256, 39 Cal.Rptr.3d 845, 129 P.3d 49). Respondent also takes exception to the referee's finding that Burney was a credible witness on the ground that his testimony was hearsay. Respondent forfeited this claim for our review by failing to object on this ground at the hearing. Nor does it appear respondent objected to Burney's declaration. Were we to overlook this forfeiture and address the claim, we would find Boyd's comment, overheard by Burney, that someone asked Boyd if he knew someone that could do a hit for this certain individual, and that they would get paid for doing it, was admissible under the coconspirator exception to the hearsay rule. Hearsay evidence is of course generally inadmissible. (Evid.Code, § 1200.) Hearsay statements by coconspirators, however, may nevertheless be admitted against a party if, at the threshold, the offering party presents `independent evidence to establish prima facie the existence of ... [a] conspiracy.' [Citations.] Once independent proof of a conspiracy has been shown, three preliminary facts must be established: `(1) that the declarant was participating in a conspiracy at the time of the declaration; (2) that the declaration was in furtherance of the objective of that conspiracy; and (3) that at the time of the declaration the party against whom the evidence is offered was participating or would later participate in the conspiracy.' ( People v. Hardy, supra, 2 Cal.4th at p. 139, 5 Cal.Rptr.2d 796, 825 P.2d 781.) Evidence Code section 1223 provides in pertinent part: Evidence of a statement offered against a party is not made inadmissible by the hearsay rule if: [¶] (a) The statement was made by the declarant while participating in a conspiracy to commit a crime or civil wrong and in furtherance of the objective of that conspiracy; [and][¶] (b) The statement was made prior to or during the time that the party was participating in that conspiracy. The information, as amended, alleged that Clifford Morgan, Mark Reilly and petitioner conspire[d] together and with other persons including but not limited to Colette Mitchell, Ron Leahy, Calvin Boyd and Debbie Sportsman, to commit the crime of [m]urder for the purpose of collecting life insurance proceeds upon the life of Nancy Carol Morgan and Mitchell Raymond Morgan and to do so by defrauding the Equitable Life Assurance Company and the Provident Alliance Life Assurance Company. (Italics added.) There was thus no question at trial that Boyd was a coconspirator, i.e., that he was participating in a conspiracy. Boyd's comment, overheard by Burney, plainly betrays planning behavior in furtherance of the conspiracy (see People v. Brawley (1969) 1 Cal.3d 277, 288, 82 Cal.Rptr. 161, 461 P.2d 361 [statements construed as attempts to recruit a person to join the criminal scheme are in furtherance of the conspiracy]) and thus would not have been barred by the hearsay rule had respondent objected on that ground. Accordingly, we overrule respondent's exceptions and adopt the referee's finding on this point. Respondent next takes exception to the referee's conclusion that [t]he testimony of Raynall Burney indicated that, shortly before the killings, Burney overheard Boyd say that he was looking for a hit man. (Italics added.) Respondent argues that Burney's testimony indicates only that he overheard Boyd say that someone had asked him (i.e., Boyd) if he knew a hit man, not that Boyd was himself searching for one. We agree and sustain this exception.
Petitioner alleges that a few days before the killings, Boyd and Marcus tried to recruit Ollie Epps, another one of Boyd's friends, to help with the killings. This allegation is supported by the testimony of Rickey Ginsburg, who at the time of the crimes resided with his mother at the Vose Street apartments. Ginsburg testified that Epps, his mother's boyfriend, told him that Boyd and Marcus had attempted to recruit him, but he had declined. Respondent denies the allegation, relying on Boyd's testimony denying he had asked anyone to commit the murders. Other than to conclude Boyd was generally not credible, the referee made no specific findings regarding Boyd's alleged attempt to recruit Epps. Accordingly, we assign this fact no weight. Petitioner also alleges that after the murders, Ginsburg overheard Boyd say to Ollie Epps that he (Boyd) had `tripped upon the kid and grabbed a pillow and put it over his face and stabbed him.' This allegation is supported by Ginsburg's testimony that, sometime after the murders, he was shooting pool with Boyd, Epps and others, and he heard Boyd tell Epps: Yes, man, I went in to do the lady in and Marcus and I were stumbling through the house, and I went through one room, I tripped upon the kid and grabbed a pillow and put it over his face and stabbed him. The referee found the allegation to be true, concluding that, [i]n testifying at the reference hearing, Boyd made a number of statements which were shown to be false[, including] ... that he did not tell ... Ollie Epps [or] Rick Ginsburg ... that he had participated in the planning and/or the carrying out of the murders in this case. (Italics added.) Respondent denies Ginsburg actually overheard Boyd make these incriminating comments; in support, respondent argues that Boyd testified and denied participation in the murders, Ginsburg's credibility is suspect because he has a felony conviction for selling cocaine, Ginsburg failed to give police this information when they interviewed him around the time of the crimes, and Ginsburg never told his mother about the incident although for him to conceal such important information from her would have been unusual. [11] Respondent also formally takes exception to the referee's findings, arguing Ginsburg's testimony was not credible. Although Boyd denied making the statements overheard by Ginsburg, the referee found that Boyd generally lacked credibility. (Italics added.) The referee also specifically credited Ginsburg's testimony on this point. This was a classic credibility determination to which we defer, inasmuch as the referee's conclusion on this point is supported by substantial evidence, namely, Ginsburg's own testimony. We thus overrule respondent's exceptions and adopt the referee's findings. Petitioner also alleges that after the murders, Boyd told Ginsburg in a threatening manner to tell the police he knew nothing about them. This allegation is supported by Ginsburg's testimony that sometime after he was interviewed by the police, Boyd confronted him and said: `And what did you tell them? And what do you know? And now you know nothing.'  Ginsburg took these comments to be a threat. The referee found [t]he evidence showed that, at some point after the killings, ... Boyd told Ginsburg [in a threatening manner that] he should tell the police that he knew nothing about the killings. As noted, the referee specifically credited Ginsburg's testimony and found Boyd generally lacked credibility. Respondent impliedly denies this allegation in his return, alleging: Boyd did not tell ... Rickey Ginsburg ... that he committed one or both of the murders. We may assume respondent's attack on Ginsburg's credibility applies here as well. Respondent also takes exception to the referee's finding that Boyd threatened Ginsburg. The referee, however, reasonably weighed Ginsburg's credibility against that of Boyd and, inasmuch as Ginsburg testified specifically that Boyd threatened him, substantial evidence supports the referee's finding. We thus overrule respondent's exception. Respondent's further exception to the referee's description of the exact nature of the threat is meritless: That Boyd said, `And now you know nothing,' in context, was reasonably construed as a threat. Respondent also takes exception to the referee's finding regarding Ginsburg because his testimony recounting Boyd's threat was inadmissible hearsay. It is unclear whether respondent properly objected on this ground. Although respondent made a continuing hearsay objection during Ginsburg's testimony, that objection could be construed as applying only to Ginsburg's testimony regarding the comments of Ollie Epps. As the matter is unclear from the record, however, we give respondent the benefit of the doubt and conclude the issue is preserved for our review. ( People v. Champion (1995) 9 Cal.4th 879, 908, fn. 6, 39 Cal.Rptr.2d 547, 891 P.2d 93, overruled on another point in People v. Combs (2004) 34 Cal.4th 821, 860, 22 Cal.Rptr.3d 61,101 P.3d 1007.) Turning to the merits of the hearsay question, we conclude Boyd's threat to Ginsburg falls under the coconspirator exception to the hearsay rule. (See discussion, ante, at pt. IV.B.1.a.) Although the threat was made after the crimes had occurred, there is no question Boyd's statement was made while he was engaged in the conspiracy. As we explained on appeal: The conspiracy did not ... end with the death of the insureds. Instead, for purposes of this case, it continued until the coconspirators received the insurance proceeds [citation], or [Clifford] Morgan was convicted of unjustifiable homicide of the victims, thus disabling him from legally collecting the insurance proceeds. [Citation.] Because the insurance companies had not yet paid out at the time of trial, the conspiracy was a continuing one, permitting the introduction of hearsay statements made during the time between the crime and the trial, pursuant to Evidence Code section 1223. ( People v. Hardy, supra, 2 Cal.4th at p. 144, 5 Cal.Rptr.2d 796, 825 P.2d 781, fn. omitted.) Respondent contends Boyd's threat to Ginsburg was not uttered in furtherance of the objective of the conspiracy. Although respondent's argument lacks detail, we conclude Boyd's threat not to reveal his name to the police was a clear attempt to avoid detection and thus protect the aims of the conspiracy. (See People v. Sully (1991) 53 Cal.3d 1195, 1231, 283 Cal.Rptr. 144, 812 P.2d 163 [statements fell within the coconspirator exception because they could reasonably be viewed as an attempt to commit a potential witness to silence, thereby concealing the murder].) We thus conclude that, assuming respondent preserved this issue, the referee properly admitted the evidence over the hearsay objection. As the referee's conclusions with regard to Ginsburg are supported by substantial evidence, they are entitled to deference and we adopt them.
Petitioner alleges that after the murders, James Moss had a conversation with Boyd in which Boyd said he was angry with petitioner because petitioner had failed to show up for something, that Boyd had to go in his place, that Marcus had to drive the getaway car, and that Boyd later told Moss to forget the conversation. Moss, who now lives in Tennessee, testified that he lived at the Vose Street apartments in 1981 and knew Boyd as well as Boyd's wife, Arzetta Harvey. Moss testified that sometime after the crimes, after he had learned of Reilly's arrest for the murders, Moss, Boyd and Marcus were milling around the swimming pool at the apartment complex when Boyd said he was angry because petitioner had not shown up to do something he was supposed to do and Boyd had to go in his place. Boyd criticized petitioner's courage, saying he was too chicken shit to go along. Boyd was angry because he needed his part of the money to get the drugs that he wanted and needed. Marcus added that petitioner mess[ed] the whole thing up because he didn't go, [and] that if they got caught, [petitioner] would get away free because he did notyou know, he did not go, he did not show up to do what they was supposed to do. Boyd echoed this sentiment, saying that if Boyd were arrested, petitioner would walk away free because he did not do anything. Marcus said that as a result of petitioner's failure to show up, he (Marcus) had to drive the getaway car. Sometime after the poolside conversation, Boyd told Moss to forget it had taken place. Moss admitted on cross-examination that, at the time, he did not know what Boyd and Marcus were talking about and did not know they may have been referring to the murders. Boyd specifically denied Moss's account of the alleged conversation. The referee specifically credited James Moss's testimony on this point, concluding that, [i]n testifying at the reference hearing, Boyd made a number of statements which were shown to be false[, including] ... that he did not threaten, bully, pressure or otherwise try to intimidate any of the Vose Street residents ... [and] that he did not tell ... James Moss that he had participated in the planning and/or the carrying out of the murders in this case. Respondent denies that Moss heard Boyd make these incriminating comments, noting that Moss admitted he did not know what Boyd was talking about and that Moss had a motive to testify falsely because his present wife, then 21 years old, had had a one-day affair with Boyd's stepson, who was only 15 or 16 years old at the time. In addition, respondent alleges Moss's failure to come forward until now undermines his credibility. Respondent takes exception to the referee's findings on these same grounds. The referee concluded that although Boyd denied making the statements reported by Moss, Boyd generally lacked credibility. The referee's decision to credit Moss's testimony and not Boyd's is a credibility determination to which we must defer if supported by substantial evidence. We conclude that it is, namely, the testimony of James Moss himself and that of Sandra Harris Moss, who testified that she had immediately apologized to Arzetta Harvey about her affair with Harvey's son and that their friendship was back to normal within 24 hours. Respondent takes exception to the referee's finding concerning Moss's testimony recounting Boyd's admissions, contending the comments were inadmissible hearsay. Respondent failed to object on this ground and thus failed to preserve the issue for our review. Were we to overlook this forfeiture and address the claim, we would find Boyd's comment, warning Moss that he should forget the conversation he had heard, was admissible under the coconspirator exception to the hearsay rule. (See discussion, ante, at pt. IV.B.1.a.) Like the threat to Ginsburg, Boyd's warning to Moss was an attempt to shield the conspiracy from discovery. ( People v. Sully, supra, 53 Cal.3d at p. 1231, 283 Cal.Rptr. 144, 812 P.2d 163.) Boyd's other comments, overheard by Moss, that petitioner had not shown up for something he was supposed to do, that Boyd went in his place, that petitioner was too chicken shit to go along, and that Boyd needed his part of the money to get the drugs that he wanted and needed require a different analysis for they do not appear to have been uttered in furtherance of the conspiracy. We find, however, that these comments were admissible because they recounted Boyd's prior inconsistent statements. Evidence Code section 1235 provides in part: Evidence of a statement made by a witness is not made inadmissible by the hearsay rule if the statement is inconsistent with his testimony at the hearing. Boyd testified at trial that he did not kill the victims, had not agreed to kill the victims, was never asked to do it, had never told Reilly that Marcus had backed out or that he (Boyd) would do the killing, and that no agreement existed whereby he was to receive money in return for the murders. At the evidentiary hearing, he similarly maintained he was completely innocent of the murders and uninvolved in the conspiracy. In light of these denials, James Moss's testimony was admissible under Evidence Code section 1235 as evidence of Boyd's prior inconsistent statements. Even if respondent had preserved this issue, therefore, the referee would properly have admitted the evidence over the hearsay objection. We thus overrule respondent's exceptions and adopt the referee's conclusions regarding James Moss's evidence.
Petitioner alleges that sometime after the murders, Boyd told Michael Small he had killed a child and would do it again; that he took a pillow, put it over the child's face and stabbed him through the pillow; and that he expected to receive a large sum of money. These allegations are supported by the testimony of both Small and Sandra Harris Moss, then known as Sandra Harris. Small, now a minister living in Kentucky, testified that he lived at the Vose Street apartments in 1981 and was friends with Arzetta Harvey's son (Boyd's stepson). Small observed an altercation between Boyd and Raynall Burney in which Boyd drew a knife and said: I play for keeps. I have already taken out one young kid. I can do the same. Boyd made these statements after the Nancy and Mitchell Morgan murders. A few days later, Small asked Boyd whether his comments were true and Boyd replied in the affirmative, explaining: I took the pillow and I put it over him and I just stabbed him. The conversation was [v]ery vivid in Small's memory. At one point, Boyd said he expected to receive a large sum of money, but later said the money he was expecting to receive wasn't there. Sandra Harris Moss testified that Arzetta Harvey, Boyd's wife, told her Boyd was expecting to receive some insurance money, although in her testimony Harvey denied the account. Boyd denied making the statements to Small or making any statements with regard to insurance proceeds. At the hearing, respondent emphasized that there was a discrepancy between Small's declaration (introduced without objection) and his testimony, in that his declaration made no mention of Boyd's admitting to killing a child. Small explained that he had told the defense investigator who prepared the declaration that, in light of the many years that had passed, he might still remember some additional facts. Respondent fully cross-examined Small regarding the discrepancy. Regarding why he did not immediately come forward with his evidence, Small testified that he initially declined to go to the police because he feared Boyd, then left the state for a few months for a military commitment, and that when he returned to California, he heard nothing more about the murders. The referee specifically credited Small's testimony on these points and concluded Boyd's denials were not credible, stating that, [i]n testifying at the reference hearing, Boyd made a number of statements which were shown to be false[, including] ... that he did not threaten, bully, pressure or otherwise try to intimidate any of the Vose Street residents ... [and] that he did not tell ... Michael Small ... that he had participated in the planning and/or the carrying out of the murders in this case. (Italics added.) The referee also found Arzetta Harvey's testimony (denying she had told Sandra Harris Moss that Boyd was coming into some insurance money) to be unreliable. Respondent in his return denies these allegations concerning Boyd's statements to Small and also takes exception to the referee's findings, on a number of grounds. First, respondent argues the discrepancy between Small's declaration and his hearing testimony, as well as his failure to come forward earlier, indicates he was not credible. Small addressed these points in his testimony. Respondent adds that Small's credibility is further undermined because Burney in his testimony never mentioned that Boyd said he had killed a child by stabbing him. Although Raynall Burney's failure to mention that Boyd had admitted to killing a child tends to undermine Small's testimony, this is the type of credibility assessment we commit to the referee, and he specifically found Boyd was not truthful when he denied telling Small about his involvement in the murders. Because the referee's credibility determination is supported by substantial evidence, namely Small's own testimony and his declaration, it is entitled to deference. ( In re Thomas, supra, 37 Cal.4th at p. 1256, 39 Cal.Rptr.3d 845, 129 P.3d 49.) Accordingly, we overrule respondent's exceptions. Second, respondent takes exception to the referee's acceptance of Small's testimony, on grounds his credibility was undermined by: (1) his claim he was an ordained minister of the Jehovah's Witnesses faith, when in fact his Kingdom Hall does not use that title; and (2) when he was 17 years old, he obtained an identification card from the Department of Motor Vehicles with a false birth date. These matters were fully aired at the hearing, with Small explaining the circumstances of each, and we assume the referee considered them in weighing Small's credibility against that of Boyd. Because the referee's credibility determination is supported by substantial evidence, namely Small's own testimony, it is entitled to deference. ( In re Thomas, supra, 37 Cal.4th at p. 1256, 39 Cal. Rptr.3d 845, 129 P.3d 49.) Accordingly, we overrule these exceptions. Third, respondent takes exception to the referee's findings with regard to Small's testimony, on the ground that evidence Small was afraid of Boyd, that Boyd lived the life of a gangster, and that other Vose Street residents were afraid of Boyd was inadmissible evidence of Boyd's bad character. Because respondent did not object to Small's testimony on this ground, he has forfeited the claim in this court. In any event, the testimony was admissible to show Small's state of mind, which was relevant to show his fear of Boyd and thus his reluctance to come forward until years later. We thus overrule this exception. Fourth, respondent takes exception to the referee's finding that Boyd ever told anyone he was expecting to receive money from some insurance proceeds or that Harvey had mentioned anything about such money to Sandra Harris Moss, arguing that no evidence supports the proposition that Boyd told this to Small personally. Respondent is mistaken, as Small so testified. We thus overrule this exception. Fifth, respondent takes exception to the referee's finding that Arzetta Harvey told Sandra Harris Moss that she and Boyd expected to get some insurance money soon. The referee's interpretation of the evidence is reasonable; Sandra Moss testified that Harvey had said she and Boyd were coming into some insurance money, and, in context, Moss reasonably understood the use of the colloquial phraseology to mean soon and not at some distant future time. We thus overrule this exception. Sixth, respondent takes exception to the referee's finding crediting Small's testimony recounting Boyd's admissions, contending the comments were inadmissible hearsay. Respondent failed to object on this ground and thus failed to preserve the issue for our review. Were we to overlook this forfeiture and address the claim, we would find Boyd's comments that (1) with a drawn knife, he told Raynall Burney (overheard by Small): `I play for keeps. I have already taken out one young kid. I can do the same'; (2) he told Michael Small: I took the pillow and I put it over him and I just stabbed him; and (3) he told Small he (Boyd) expected to be receiving a large sum of money, all were admissible under Evidence Code section 1235 because they recounted Boyd's prior inconsistent statements. (See discussion, ante, at pt. IV.B.1.c.) We thus conclude that, even had respondent preserved this issue, the referee would properly have admitted the evidence over the hearsay objection. As the referee's conclusions concerning the testimony of Michael Small and Sandra Harris Moss are supported by substantial evidence, namely, the testimony of Small himself as well as that of Sandra Harris Moss, we overrule respondent's exceptions and adopt the referee's conclusions.
Petitioner alleges that a few days after the murders, Boyd demanded from, codefendant Reilly a share of the insurance proceeds. This allegation is supported by the testimony of Michael Mitchell, who testified that he was Reilly's roommate at the Vose Street apartments in 1981. Mitchell answered in the affirmative when he was asked whether Reilly told him a few days after the murders that [Boyd] had actually threatened him because he wanted his cut for the killing. Respondent denies these allegations. The referee made no specific findings as to this particular alleged threat Boyd issued to Reilly, or whether Mitchell was telling the truth, although he made the related finding that Boyd told [Michael] Small that he expected to receive a large sum of money, that Boyd was not credible when he denied threatening or trying to intimidate any Vose Street residents, and that Boyd generally lacked credibility. Because the referee failed to make a specific finding with regard to the allegation based on Michael Mitchell's testimony, we are left with disputed factual allegations, the resolution of which would require another evidentiary hearing. Accordingly, for purposes of the present case, we will ignore the allegation based on Michael Mitchell's testimony at the evidentiary hearing.
In 1981, Steven Rice lived at the Vose Street apartments in an apartment next to Reilly's. Rice was allowing petitioner to live with him rent-free. Petitioner alleges that at some point after the killings, Boyd entered Rice's apartment, began beating Rice, and warned him that he should not mention Boyd's name to the police or Boyd would kill him. These allegations are supported by Rice's testimony. Rice, who now lives in Utah, testified he was friends with the Hardy family and lived in the Vose Street apartment with petitioner in 1981. He testified that about two weeks after the murders, Boyd entered his apartment while he was sleeping, began hitting him in the face, and told him not to mention his name to the police or he was going to kill my white ass. Boyd denied threatening Rice in this manner. The referee found [t]he evidence showed that, at some point after the killings, Boyd came into Steve Rice's apartment while he was asleep and began hitting Rice, telling him `he better not mention his name [to the police] or he was going to kill [Rice's] white ass.' As noted, the referee specifically found Boyd lied when he denied threatening and intimidating the Vose Street residents and that he generally lacked credibility. Respondent denies Boyd ever threatened Rice not to go to the police and also raises a number of exceptions to the referee's findings regarding Rice. First, respondent takes exception to the referee's findings on the ground that Rice never mentioned to the police investigating the murders that Boyd had threatened him, although he had opportunities to do so. Although that fact tends to undercut Rice's credibility, we note Rice testified that Boyd threatened him with harm should he reveal Boyd's involvement. In addition, Rice states in his declaration that he complained several times to the police about Boyd's attempt to retaliate against him, and the police did nothing in response. [12] In agreeing with Rice and not Boyd, the referee made a classic credibility determination that is entitled to deference if supported by substantial evidence. Because the referee's decision is supported by Rice's own testimony and his declaration, we overrule this exception. Second, respondent takes exception to the referee's findings on the ground that Rice's testimony regarding Boyd's assault on him was inadmissible evidence of bad character. (Evid.Code, § 1101.) Respondent did not object on this ground at the hearing and thus forfeited its consideration in this court. In any event, Rice's testimony was admissible under the coconspirator exception to the hearsay rule because it was an attempt to keep the conspiracy from being discovered and its ends thwarted, while it was still an ongoing enterprise. (See discussion, ante, at pt. IV.B.1.a.) Third, respondent takes exception to the referee's finding that when Demby interviewed Rice, he repeatedly told Mr. Demby that after the killings, Boyd had physically attacked him and ordered him not to mention his (Boyd's) name to the police. (Italics added.) We have reviewed the transcript of the interview (which was admitted without objection) and are satisfied the referee's conclusion on this point is accurate. We thus overrule this exception. As the referee's conclusions regarding Rice's evidence are supported by substantial evidence, namely the testimony of Rice himself as well as his declaration and the transcript of his interview with defense counsel, the referee's conclusions are entitled to deference, and we adopt them.