Makeba Thomas and Michael Taborn appeal their convictions for malice murder, armed robbery, theft by taking a motor vehicle, and burglary in connection with the killing of Deidre Stewart. Collectively, Thomas and Taborn challenge the sufficiency of the evidence; the denial of severance; the refusal to suppress evidence seized from the murder scene and at the time of apprehension; the overruling of a Batson objection; the alleged improper injection of character into evidence; the admission of handwriting exemplars; the admission into evidence of certain statements by the victim; the court’s instruction to the jury; and the effectiveness of trial counsel. Finding the challenges to be without merit, we affirm.1
The evidence construed in favor of the verdicts showed that in September 1995, the victim, Deidre Stewart moved from a townhouse she was renting into an apartment. Thomas and Taborn learned of the vacant townhouse and offered to move in and take over the monthly payments. Stewart agreed to sublet the townhouse and Thomas and Taborn moved in. The couple did not make the rental payments, and they decided to sell Stewart’s furniture that was in the townhouse. On October 2, 1995, they enlisted the aid of a neighbor with a pickup truck, telling the neighbor that they were putting the furniture into storage. Instead the neighbor witnessed the sale of the entire truckload of furniture for about $45. Stewart’s mail was still being delivered to the townhouse, and Thomas and Taborn were intercepting it. Stewart told friends that she was missing some checks which had been sent to her townhouse address. Thomas and Taborn knew that Stewart had an Acura Integra automobile and other property at her new apartment, and they wanted to get the property. They decided to lure Stewart to the townhouse and told Stewart that they were holding a registered letter for her. On October 4, 1995, Stewart and a friend went to the townhouse to retrieve the letter. Taborn told Stewart that her missing furniture was in storage and that the registered letter was with Thomas, who was not home. Stewart was upset and tried to find Thomas, but then gave up and went home.
