Opinion ID: 198913
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Leatherman Tool

Text: 42 Hughes complains that twice, the prosecutor misstated the evidence about the Leatherman tool to inflame the jury. During closing argument, the prosecution suggested that Hughes's description of the kidnappers patting him down did not square with the fact that he arrived back in the United States carrying the Leatherman tool--a device with several sharp knives--in his canvas bag. Moreover, the government argued that because Hughes realized this inconsistency in his story, he eagerly sought to retrieve the bag from the FBI. Again, we find the government's reasoning valid. 43 The Leatherman tool was considered dangerous enough that it was confiscated by a flight attendant during Hughes's return trip to the United States from Mexico; Hughes told agent Murphy that the bandits had patted him down; and Hughes did appear especially eager to retrieve the canvas bag, telephoning Loraine Bertolini, in whose car he had left it, to ask her to get the bag back from the FBI because it had sentimental value to his wife.