Opinion ID: 2517672
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Boyd Habitually Carried a Knife Similar to the Murder Weapon

Text: In addition to Boyd's numerous incriminating statements, petitioner also presented evidence that Boyd habitually carried and brandished a knife similar to the murder weapon. The victims were killed with a knife approximately six inches long and one-half inch wide. Petitioner alleges that, had trial counsel conducted a reasonable investigation, he would have discovered that Boyd habitually carried a knife of substantially similar dimensions as the murder weapon. The testimony of several witnesses supports this allegation. For example, Rickey Ginsburg testified Boyd habitually carried a knife about seven inches long. Wesley Frank, another resident of the Vose Street apartments in 1981, testified Boyd carried a dagger, sharp on one side only, but stopped wearing it after the murders. Raynall Burney testified Boyd kept a knife in his back pocket or on his belt. He saw Boyd with a switchblade-style knife about six inches long and one-half inch wide. Also testifying that Boyd habitually carried a knife were Steven Rice, Michael Mitchell, Michael Small, James Moss and Sandra Harris Moss. Respondent denies that Boyd carried a knife of the same dimensions as the murder weapon. He emphasizes the difference between a single-bladed knife and a stiletto (which is sharp on both sides of the blade) and asserts the expert testimony at petitioner's trial indicated the victims were killed with a stiletto. Although expert testimony indicated the victims were killed by the same or similar knives and it appeared from the wounds the knife was sharp on both sides of the blade, the referee made no finding on whether the knife Boyd carried was of the same dimensions or characteristics as the murder weapon. The referee did conclude, however, that Boyd carried a knife around the time of the murders and that Boyd's testimony that he did not possess [or] carry ... a knife during the time he lived at the Vose Street apartments was false. Moreover, only Wesley Frank specified that the knife he saw Boyd carrying was sharp on one side only. None of the other witnesses related this detail, although some reported the length and width of the blade as being consistent with the murder weapon. Respondent also takes exception to the referee's finding that Boyd habitually carried a knife, arguing evidence he did so was improperly admitted at the hearing because it was evidence of his bad character. Respondent did not object to the evidence on that ground and must be held to have forfeited the claim in this proceeding. Respondent's further exception that a drawing of the knife used at the hearing was not drawn to scale must suffer the same fate. Accordingly, we overrule respondent's exceptions. There being substantial, indeed overwhelming, evidence to support the referee's finding that Boyd habitually carried a knife around the time of the murders, we adopt it.