Opinion ID: 1058551
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: tice's criminal trial

Text: At Tice's trial, the Commonwealth contended that Tice was one of several men who had raped and murdered Michelle Moore-Bosko (Michelle). Tice's attorneys, however, maintained that Omar A. Ballard was the sole perpetrator of the crimes committed against Michelle. The evidence showed that on July 8, 1997, William A. Bosko returned to his apartment in Norfolk after a tour of duty with the United States Navy and found the dead body of his wife, Michelle. Michelle had died from manual strangulation and multiple stab wounds to the chest. The evidence further revealed that Michelle had suffered forcible injuries to her vaginal area. City of Norfolk police officers found a blood-stained, serrated knife near Michelle's body. The police also recovered some DNA samples from Michelle's vagina and from a blanket on the bed. Robert Scanlon, a forensic scientist, testified that Tice was eliminated as the source of this DNA evidence. Scanlon's testimony further revealed a very high correlation between these DNA samples collected at the crime scene and the DNA sample obtained from Ballard. The jury also heard the testimony of Joseph Dick, who had participated in the rapes and murder of Michelle and had entered into a plea agreement with the Commonwealth. Dick testified that at the time the crimes against Michelle were committed, he lived across the hall from Michelle's apartment with Danial Williams. Dick stated that on the night of Michelle's death, he was present at Williams' apartment with Williams and five other men, including Tice, Eric Wilson, Richard Pauley, Geoffrey Farris, and John Danser. Dick testified that during a group conversation, he heard Williams state that he would like to see Michelle's panties. After further discussion, the seven men knocked on Michelle's apartment door, but Michelle directed them to leave. Dick testified that the men walked to a parking lot where Ballard, a man Dick did not know, joined the group. According to Dick, the men, including Ballard, returned to Michelle's apartment and knocked on the door again. Michelle opened the door, and the eight men forced their way into the apartment and carried Michelle to the bedroom. Dick testified that each man assisted in restraining Michelle, and that all the men, including Tice, had forcible sexual intercourse with her. Dick further testified that each man, including Tice, took turns stabbing Michelle with a knife obtained from her kitchen. After the men left Michelle's apartment, they made a pact not to say anything about the crimes and not to turn each other in. Dick stated that he entered into this pact because he was afraid of Ballard. Dick acknowledged in his testimony that he originally was charged with capital murder and that as a result of his plea agreement, he had been convicted of first-degree murder. In the plea agreement, Dick promised to cooperate in the police investigation and to testify truthfully against all others charged with the crimes. Dick testified that he gave an initial account to the police that contained some false statements but, that after further police questioning, he admitted being present with Williams when Williams raped Michelle. In a second conversation with the police, Dick told the police that he also had raped Michelle. Dick testified that he informed the police that he, Williams, and Eric Wilson had committed the crimes. Dick admitted in his testimony, however, that he had lied to the police in that second interview about other details of the crimes. Dick further testified that in a third conversation with the police, he related that there were six men who each raped and stabbed Michelle but that he did not know all their names. Dick additionally stated that he had identified Tice as one of the perpetrators based on a photograph shown from a Navy yearbook, and that he had met Tice only once before the night of Michelle's death. Dick admitted in his testimony that during this third police interview, he again provided inaccurate details of the crime to the police. Also, Dick admitted that he had written a letter to a member of the media in which he denied involvement in the crimes and claimed that he was pressured by the police to confess. Dick explained that he had written the letter containing those false statements in an attempt to generate media attention and to help his own case. Detective Robert G. Ford testified that after Dick identified Tice as one of the perpetrators, the police arrested Tice in Florida. Ford stated that when Tice arrived at the police station in Norfolk, Ford advised Tice of his Miranda rights, and that Tice waived these rights and indicated that he wanted to speak with the police. Ford further testified that Tice initially denied participating in the crimes but acknowledged that he knew Williams and was aware that Williams had been arrested. Ford stated that he and Detective Brian Wray continued to question Tice, who eventually began crying and relating details of the crimes. At this time, Tice stated that he, Williams, Wilson, Dick, Farris, and another man whose name Tice did not know, all participated in the crimes. Tice ultimately advised Ford that Pauley also participated in the crimes, and stated that each of the men raped Michelle and stabbed her with a knife obtained from the kitchen. Tice added that Williams desired to rape Michelle first because she was Williams' trophy. Ford made a tape recording of Tice's statement, and a transcript of that statement was admitted into evidence. In the recorded statement, Tice explained that before the murder, all the men agreed to participate in raping and murdering Michelle so that each would be culpable for the crimes. Ballard was served with a subpoena to appear at Tice's trial but refused to testify. However, Detective David M. Peterson testified regarding the contents of three statements that Ballard made to the police. Peterson testified that after he learned that Ballard's DNA sample matched the DNA samples found in Michelle's apartment, Peterson interviewed Ballard, who was incarcerated for another crime. Ballard claimed that he was alone with Michelle in her apartment on the night in question and that, after they engaged in consensual sexual intercourse, something in Ballard ticked causing him to obtain a knife from the kitchen and stab Michelle. Ballard also told Peterson that Michelle had informed him that Williams was stalking her. Peterson testified that when he interviewed Ballard a second time, Ballard admitted that he had raped Michelle, and that he had choked and stabbed her. Ballard further admitted writing a letter (the Ballard letter) to a friend stating that he had murdered Michelle. When Tice's counsel asked that the Ballard letter be admitted into evidence, the circuit court sustained the Commonwealth's objection. Peterson also testified that he spoke with Ballard a third time, after Ballard pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Michelle. At that time, Ballard admitted being present at Michelle's apartment complex on the date of her death and hearing a group of four men, including Williams, discussing an attempt to enter Michelle's apartment. Ballard stated that he helped the men enter Michelle's apartment and that, after entering, they all raped and stabbed Michelle. Tamika Taylor testified that Michelle was her closest friend and that on nights when Michelle's husband was away from home, Taylor and Michelle usually stayed together in Michelle's apartment. Taylor related that Williams constantly knocked on Michelle's door when Michelle's husband was not at home and asked to use Michelle's telephone. Taylor stated that Williams also would often peep through his window in an apparent attempt to observe Michelle walking in the hallway. Taylor testified that she spent the night at Michelle's apartment the night before Michelle's death and left about 7:00 a.m. At that time, Ballard, a friend who often visited Michelle and Taylor early in the morning, was still present in Michelle's apartment.