Boney Says He Was Offered Deal But Turned It Down
By Janelle MacDonald
(NEW ALBANY, Ind., Jan. 12th, 2005) -- Triple murder suspect Charles Boney was back in court Thursday sporting an eye patch after a jail fight kept him out away from his trial on Wednesday. He's accused of helping David Camm murder his wife, Kimberly, and their two children, Jill and Brad in September 2000. WAVE 3's Janelle MacDonald has the latest.
Boney voluntarily skipped courtroom proceedings Wednesday, after he was injured in a fight with another inmate. We're told that the scuffle had something to do with Boney not getting enough sleep.
Inside the courtroom Thursday, Boney had a brief conversation with his mother, Barbara. "I just want you to know I'm OK. I know you was concerned. My fight's not only in the courtroom, it's also to get sleep."
Boney also told his mother that Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson offered him a deal. "Mr. Henderson brought me a deal last night. Only guilty people take deals."
Henderson, however, denied making any such offer. "No deal has been offered. I heard that he said that in the courtroom, but we're in trial mode now and we'll see this through and let the jury decide this case."
Boney's attorney, Patrick Renn, hadn't heard of a deal either. "I'm not aware of any deal. I have not sought any deal on his behalf. The prosecutor has not offered any deal to me."
And Boney also told his mother he would be taking the stand on the 23rd or the 24th, but Renn told us "no decision has been made as to whether he would be testifying at all."
Henderson says Boney "obviously has a right to testify; whether he will or whether he won't will be up to him. Either way, I look forward to that time coming."
Prosecutors spent day four of the trial trying to link Boney to the murder scene. Jurors heard from several members of the Indiana State Police, who talked about the gray sweatshirt found at the scene.
They testified that they took the DNA found on it and matched it to DNA from Boney that was in a database maintained by several law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S.
Detective Gary Gilbert also took the stand Thursday afternoon again, testifying about statements Charles Boney made to investigators after he was first picked up in connection with the Camm murders. Gilbert interviewed Boney on Feb. 17th and Feb. 18th, 2005.
During those interviews, Boney maintained that he had nothing to do with the murders, and that he had donated the sweatshirt to the Salvation Army.
Renn says "simply because Boney's DNA happened to be on the sweatshirt, it doesn't mean that he was there on September 28, 2000. The DNA could have been deposited there many days, if not years, before."
During the interview, when Boney was informed he was being questioned in connection with the Camm family murders, he told investigators: "I've done some things in my day, but not murder."
Later, Gilbert said Boney told him "I was thinking they couldn't ... it's not enough that they got their killer. Their going to try and pin it on me."
Henderson said he included those statement for a reason. "I want the jury to understand what the defendant's reaction was initially upon being confronted, and then as the investigation built, as we found evidence in this case, what his reaction was ultimately to the end when he was arrested."
A fingerprint expert also compared a palm print found on the Kim Camm's Ford Bronco to another palm print Boney submitted. But under cross-examination from Renn, he admitted he couldn't determine when the palm print on the Bronco was made.
Renn seemed confident. "Based on the evidence we've seen thus far, I would expect him to be found not guilty at the conclusion of this case."
Testimony was set to continue on Friday.
Online Reporter: Charles Boney
Online Producer: Michael Dever
