Opinion ID: 853312
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Testimony Regarding the Knives

Text: At trial, Daniel Rutledge, the younger brother of West's girlfriend, testified that shortly before Hollen's death two knives were missing from his collection. A crime scene specialist later testified that one of Rutledge's knives had turned up in the backseat of West's Blazer in the search. West did not object to Rutledge's or the crime scene specialist's testimony, but did later object to the admission of the knife on both relevancy grounds and on Pirtle grounds. The State argued that the knife was relevant because the victim was killed with a knife and this knife was found in West's car within two days of Hollen's stabbing. On appeal, West argues that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting the testimony of Rutledge and the specialist because the knife was never identified as being the murder weapon. Because he did not object at trial, West has waived any objection to the testimony of both witnesses. West also argues that the relevance of the knife itself was substantially outweighed by its prejudicial effect on the jury under Indiana Rule of Evidence 403. West could hardly have been greatly prejudiced by the admission of the knife when two witnesses had already testified to the knife's existence, and the specialist had reported it was found in West's Blazer. Neither its relevance nor any prejudice was significant. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in balancing the two.