Opinion ID: 852183
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of Baer's Knife into Evidence

Text: Fourth, Baer argues that Maynard was ineffective because he failed to challenge the admission of Baer's knife into evidence. (Appellant's Br. at 38.) The trial court admitted the knife over counsel's objection about relevancy. (Trial Tr. at 1557-58.) Trial counsel later moved to strike the knife at the close of evidence on the grounds that the State had not tied it to the crime, but the trial court denied the motion. (Trial Tr. at 1757.) Maynard's testimony at the PCR hearing suggested that he did not raise the issue on appeal because he thought trial counsel had not objected to it. ( See PCR Tr. at 512-14.) Maynard was correct enough that this was a reason for omitting the issue on appeal, but there was a second reason. There was substantial evidence that the knife was probative of issues the State had the burden of proving at trial, including the identity of the murderer and the manner of the murder. See Ind.Code § 35-42-1-1(1). Both Cory and Jenna Clark died of cuts to their throats that pathologist Dr. Paul Mellen testified were consistent with an intentional killing with a knife. (Trial Tr. at 1672-81.) Police later seized from Baer's apartment a knife Baer said he carried with him every day but was not carrying that day because he knew the police were looking for him. (Trial Tr. at 1421-22.) A serology examination of the sheath to Baer's knife produced a weak positive result for blood. (Trial Tr. at 1561-63.)