Surveillance of Scott Peterson's home takes center stage

CNN.com/Law center ^ | Thursday, November 13, 2003 Posted: 5:46 AM EST (1046 GMT

[Devil_Anse]

Cancel that break, Bunny. They said Scott still owned Laci's Land Rover at the time. He drove his own vehicle--the Land Rover--to the rentacar place, picked up the rental car and used it, then drove it back to the rentacar place, got in his own vehicle, and went home.

[Devil_Anse]

I think you're right. Something forced him to admit to a trip to Berkeley marina. Otherwise I do think he'd have tried to place himself far away from his dumping ground.

The police said of that parking receipt, "we never said HE gave it to us." They must have just found it in his car, and said, "Hey, what about this? What's this from? Got today's date on it..."

And then he had to think of a legitimate reason why he'd have been at that marina.

[Devil_Anse]

When we saw or heard that Amy came out of Laci's house crying after helping in the searches Feb. 18-19, some of us speculated that that meant she'd tried to find Laci's clothes, but couldn't.

It also seems that her crying could have meant that Amy was able to find THE black pants and white longsleeved shirt right there in the house--the very clothes Scott said Laci was wearing when she "disappeared". I know if I'd been Amy, when I saw those clothes sitting right there, I would have felt chills.

[Devil_Anse]

I don't mean to give Vel a hard time! But I mean, she knows how sensitive our resident Laci-thread ridiculers are! After all, they consider what they do an art!

Actually, Vel, I'm sure they appreciate your imitation of them as a sincere compliment...btw, GREAT imitation!

[Sandylapper]

Think I understand now why prosecution needs that "hair" so badly. I wondered why they just didn't go for the "cream or tan pants" evidence all the time. But here's the deal as I see it: (a) The maid testified that on the 23rd Laci had on black pants and a white top. (b) On the 23rd, Laci must have changed clothes since she's caught on tape on the 23rd with light pants and a floral/polka dotted top.

So, prosecution has known for a long time what clothing was found with the body. But if they knew, didn't defense know, too, by virtue of discovery? Defense could use that and say, "Well, she changed clothes on the 23rd--why couldn't she change on the 24th"? Make sense?

Now the question is, "Did both prosecution and defense call in experts to establish the fact that they were indeed "tan pants"?

[Devil_Anse]

Can you BELIEVE they did that, Grizzfan?? In a way, they are almost more culpable than Scott, for that one thing. Scott was in fear of going to the lethal injection needle... what was THEIR excuse? And with the Rochas sitting there not knowing where she was, wondering?

I don't know how those people can sleep at night. That trick was as low as it goes.

[Devil_Anse]

Sorry I missed you and others earlier! MY husband likes to hijack the computer early, lol. Then I'm stuck with the late night hours if I want to use it!

[Devil_Anse]

Yes, Ron Grantski found that odd too--that it was too cold for golf, but not too cold to fish out on the open Bay waters.

[Devil_Anse]

No offense, but I still think the FBI's stuff was done in response to Laci's alleged "disappearance". B/C it was thought at times to maybe be a kidnapping. Ever since the famous kidnappings in the earlier part of the 20th century, the FBI has been heavily involved in kidnapping investigations. There are also federal laws covering kidnappings.

I hate to say this, but I think that the MPD did indeed know about that federal grand jury from the beginning. Since Tradecorp records would involve possibly international investigation, it was getting kind of far-flung for just the local PD to handle. I read where Brocchini said that in the end he did not have to force Tradecorp to give out these expense records, Tradecorp gave them to him voluntarily.

I think the MPD was working in tandem with the federal grand jury. The grand jury had subpoena power at that time; they didn't.

Earlier, I thought the FBI was just doing this on their own, w/o the knowledge of MPD, but now I don't think so.

[Sandylapper]

I saw that part, too, Anse. Greta and others were discussing how sad that was--that you could hear people crying, etc. I know it must have been hard for all those who had to witness it. Sad enough for us to just have to think about it.

But there was a great deal more on Greta tonight. Toward the end of the program, Claudia Cowan gave a report about Amber. She brought up the stuff about Michelle Hart and her husband, which I'd never seen on TV, and she mentioned that Amber is suing for $6 million in her lawsuit re the pics. Don't think I'd ever heard a figure on her lawsuit.

[iaf97]

I am always lurking but the testimony coming out of this prelim is just too dicey not to comment. Talk about credibility SP has shot himself in the foot. Query what has SP said that has been shown to be truthful?

[Devil_Anse]

what has SP said that has been shown to be truthful?

Hang on, I'm thinking.. I'm thinking...

Okay--he said he went to Berkeley Marina, and he DID go to Berkeley Marina. Course he only appears to have admitted to that b/c there was someone who saw him, or the telltale parking lot ticket was in his car...

He said he was having an affair, and he WAS having an affair. There. Well... of course, he only admitted it after having denied it several times, and being backed to the wall...

If you give me a week or so, I'm sure I can think of something else he said that was truthful.

Honest.

Hey, what do you think about this federal grand jury that was in Fresno? How exactly did that come about, I wonder? And doesn't it seem like MPD knew about that grand jury all along? And then there is the closed-circuit surveillance that was done on Scott's house. At first it sounded like the FBI did that all on its own, but now we find that Brocchini at least knew about it all along. I guess there is still plenty of time for the MPD and DA to turn over info on this before trial?

[An American In Dairyland]

>>Boy does this Hart guy sound like a sleazeball. BUT little did she know that she'd later have one who was even sleazier! <<

Maybe so regarding Hart. But she knew he was married and she behaved even sleazier what with her tape recording his wife. Seems that's a habit with Amber--taping phone calls. I wonder why the cop keeps saying he had to take her to Radio Shak for recording equipment when she clearly has her own stuff. Trying to rehab her for a jury is my guess. I think she was taping Snott way before 12/30. I bet she taped him and planned to play it for Laci. I still think she called their house before the murder. Amber is a witness that has way more credibility issues than the prosecution and Gloria Allred want us to know about.

[Devil_Anse]

Oh, the Big Scenario will be: "And when you found out Scott had deceived you, you felt foolish, didn't you? And this made you angry at him, didn't it? And you wanted to get back at him, didn't you?"

"And you found out that not ONLY was he married, but his wife was pregnant, and pretty soon SHE, and not YOU, would be playing out this tender domestic scene with Scott? And he would be there with HER and with HIS child by her, and you would be left out in the cold again, wouldn't you? And you couldn't let that happen, could you? You were angry, you wanted to wreck this home of his for once and for all......by the way, Miss Frey, where were YOU ON THE 23RD AND 24TH OF DECEMBER???"

[iaf97]

Hey, what do you think about this federal grand jury that was in Fresno? How exactly did that come about, I wonder? And doesn't it seem like MPD knew about that grand jury all along? And then there is the closed-circuit surveillance that was done on Scott's house. At first it sounded like the FBI did that all on its own, but now we find that Brocchini at least knew about it all along. I guess there is still plenty of time for the MPD and DA to turn over info on this before trial?

The Grand Jury angle is very interesting but we don't know yet what it is about and/or if anything has come of it. I always thought it was very strange that his employers from out of the country showed up at his door when this story first broke.After all, SP was just a fertilizer salesman.Yet, who knows with SP nothing is quite what it appears on the surface is it?

[Devil_Anse]

But don't forget that Amber has already been corroborated by a number of people and things: Shawn What's-her-name says Scott told HER that same lie about having "lost his wife".

Scott himself has corroborated that he DID carry on with Amber.

There are pictures showing Scott with Amber, having the time of his life.

The cops were dogging Amber from Dec. 30 on, and can corroborate what happened, and what was said to her.

So in spite of it all, I think she will be believed. Not liked, but believed.

[Sandylapper]

I still think she called their house before the murder. Amber is a witness that has way more credibility issues than the prosecution and Gloria Allred want us to know about.

I still think it's a probabilty that she called their house, and think that both prosecution and defense know it from telephone records that are now included in some 400+ page court-filed document. Neither side (prosecution or defense) wants to go there though, before that might be the motive for Scott's killing Laci.

LOL, regarding Brochinni buying Amber's recording equipment. Hey, it's been mentioned that she was still taping after MPD called it off! I think she has some serious credibility problems and now it's coming to light. JMO

[Sandylapper]

before that might be = because that might be

[clouda]

I feel the same way about Ted. No, you are not being too rough on him.