Peterson seen driving to marina 3 times

SFChronicle.com ^ | November 14, 2003 | Henry Lee

[runningbear]

Peterson seen driving to marina 3 times
Amber Frey not expected to testify at Modesto hearing

Peterson seen driving to marina 3 times
Amber Frey not expected to testify at Modesto hearing

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, November 14, 2003

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Modesto -- Scott Peterson drove rental cars to the Berkeley Marina three times in the days after his pregnant wife disappeared, gazing at the water before returning home to Modesto, a detective testified Thursday.

Peterson spent only a couple of minutes each time at the marina, where he had told police he went fishing the day his wife, Laci Peterson, disappeared on Christmas Eve, Modesto police Detective Al Brocchini said. Officers who tailed the double-murder suspect saw him driving erratically at one point, as if trying to elude them, the detective said.

Peterson, 31, a former fertilizer salesman, has pleaded not guilty in the slayings of his wife and their unborn son, whose bodies washed ashore in April in Richmond, a few miles north of the marina.

Laci Peterson's body was clad in tan maternity pants and a 12- to 18-inch- long piece of duct tape was "attached to the groin area," Detective Philip Owen testified Thursday.

Also on Thursday, attorney Gloria Allred said her client Amber Frey, a Fresno massage therapist who was romantically involved with Peterson, will not testify at the preliminary hearing to determine whether Peterson is tried.

"I think that if she had been called to testify at this preliminary hearing, that the defense might have chosen to re-victimize her," Allred said.

Peterson visited the marina on Jan. 5, 6 and 9, Brocchini testified Thursday, and "stared out toward the bay" each time. While driving back to Modesto on Jan. 6, Peterson "began doing countersurveillance," making U-turns and stopping on the side of the road, Brocchini said.

But during cross-examination, defense attorney Mark Geragos asked the detective if he was aware that a Modesto newspaper had reported that divers were searching for Laci Peterson in San Francisco Bay on the same days Peterson visited the marina.

Geragos also noted that Peterson's truck had been impounded by police and suggested that his client had been driving in a way to shake off reporters. "You'd rather just come to the conclusion that it's suspicious because he's returning to the scene," Geragos said.

Brocchini also testified that Frey was introduced to Peterson after a friend of Frey's met the defendant at an agricultural conference in Anaheim. After the friend discovered that Peterson was married, she confronted him on Dec. 6. Sounding tearful, he said, "Look, I'm not married. I lost my wife. Let me break it to Amber," according to Brocchini. ..........

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Detective: Peterson visited bay several times before body found

Detective: Peterson visited bay several times before body found

By Harriet Ryan
Court TV
Thursday, November 13, 2003 Posted: 9:44 PM EST (0244 GMT)

Scott Peterson

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MODESTO, California (Court TV) -- Two weeks after his pregnant wife went missing, Scott Peterson made three suspicious trips to the bay where her body was ultimately found, a detective testified Thursday morning.

Modesto Police Detective Al Brocchini, the lead investigator in the disappearance of Laci Peterson, said surveillance teams tailed Peterson to the San Francisco Bay January 5, 6 and 9.

On each occasion, Peterson parked at the Berkeley Marina and "stared into the bay" for a few minutes before driving away, the detective told Superior Court Judge Al Girolami.

Peterson never took his own SUV on the trips and on two occasions rented vehicles immediately before setting out for the hour and a half-long drive, the detective testified. He also said that, when Peterson discovered police were following him as he returned from the Bay January 6, he began "driving erratically" in an effort to lose them.

Peterson is accused of killing his wife in their home and then dumping her body in the bay December 24. Her remains and those of the couple's unborn son washed up on the bay shore in April. Peterson insists he was on a fishing trip in the bay when his wife vanished and had nothing to do with her murder.

The description of Peterson's brief and strange bay visits was not the only damaging testimony the detective offered Thursday, his third day on the witness stand at Peterson's preliminary hearing.

The detective also related the account of Shawn Sibley, a business associate of Peterson and the matchmaker for his extramarital relationship with masseuse Amber Frey. Sibley told the detective that, when she met Peterson at an agribusiness conference in October, he told her he was single and begged her to set him up with one of her friends.

Sibley told Brocchini she agreed "as long as Scott was serious."

"Serious about what?" prosecutor Rick Distaso asked.

"A relationship," Brocchini replied.

On December 6, a few weeks after Frey and Peterson began the affair, Sibley learned from a colleague that Peterson was married and confronted him, the detective testified.

According to Sibley's account, he told her he was a widow.

Defense attorney Geragos, left, cross-examines a witness Thursday.

"He said, 'Look, I'm not married. I lost my wife. Let me break it to Amber,'" Brocchini said. Sibley recalled Peterson sounding "extremely upset like he was crying," the detective said.

He later called back and said he had told Frey the truth: that he was a widow, the detective said.

Brocchini also cast doubt on the efforts of Peterson and his family to search for his wife. His parents and siblings established a separate tip line after becoming frustrated with the direction of the police investigation. Peterson, however, promised to turn over tips from the line to investigators. .......

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Peterson mistress won't testify at hearing

Amber Frey, right, who acknowledged an affair with Scott Peterson, will not testify at his hearing. By Jerome T. Nakagawa, AP

Posted 11/13/2003 6:33 PM Updated 11/13/2003 11:57 PM

Peterson mistress won't testify at hearing

By John Ritter, USA TODAY

MODESTO, Calif. — Scott Peterson's former mistress won't testify at a hearing to decide whether he will stand trial for the murder of his wife and unborn son.

Massage therapist Amber Frey, who taped her phone conversations with Peterson for police after he became a suspect, had been the most eagerly awaited witness after eight days of testimony. She was on the prosecutors' witness list, but her lawyer, Gloria Allred, said late Thursday that prosecutors told her Frey won't be called.

Prosecutors apparently want to spare her from early cross-examination by Peterson's lawyers. She is certain to testify if Peterson goes to trial next year as expected.

Allred's bombshell came on a day when defense lawyers accused police of a single-minded focus on nailing the former fertilizer salesman for the murders, ignoring other possible explanations for Laci Peterson's Christmas Eve disappearance.

Defense lawyer Kirk McAllister contended that detective Al Brocchini tried to get Peterson fired from his job and told friends he was going "to take Scott Peterson down." Brocchini denied that, insisting that every tip was pursued. "My intent was to catch, not get, whoever got Laci," he said.

When prosecutors detailed how Peterson returned three times to the spot where they say he dumped his wife's body, the defense countered that there were innocent explanations.

Brocchini said police tailed Peterson when he drove from his home here to San Francisco Bay three times in January. Once there, he got out of his car, stared briefly at the water, then left.

Prosecutors believe Peterson killed his pregnant wife and dumped her body in the bay. They'll try to prove that his purchase of a fishing boat two weeks before she vanished is evidence he planned the crime in advance. They're seeking the death penalty.

Prosecutor Rick Distaso sought to show that Peterson returned to where they allege he dumped her body, 85 miles from his home, on Jan. 5, 6 and 9.

But defense lawyer Mark Geragos said that.........

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Amber Frey Won't Take Stand At Preliminary Hearing

Amber Frey Won't Take Stand At Preliminary Hearing

Amber Frey

(ABCNEWS.com

) Nov. 13 (AP) — A lawyer for Scott Peterson's former mistress says she will not take the stand during his preliminary hearing.

Attorney Gloria Allred says that prosecutors have decided not to call Fresno massage therapist Amber Frey to testify in the hearing that will determine if Peterson stands trial in the killings of his wife and unborn son.

Allred says prosecutors determined they have presented enough evidence without Frey.

A detective testified that Frey called police about a week after Laci Peterson vanished to say she had been romantically ........

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Amber Frey will not take stand in preliminary hearing

Posted on Thu, Nov. 13, 2003

Amber Frey will not take stand in preliminary hearing MODESTO POLICE WERE SUSPICIOUS OF PETERSON FROM THE BEGINNING

By Julia Prodis Sulek
Mercury News

MODESTO - Three times within days of Laci Peterson's disappearance, Scott Peterson drove a rented car 90 miles to the Berkeley Marina -- the place police believe Peterson dumped his pregnant wife's body after killing her -- looked out across the water for a couple of minutes, then drove home without speaking to a soul, a detective testified Thursday.

The testimony from Modesto police Det. Al Brocchini implied that Peterson, not realizing he was being tailed by police, returned to the bay in early January to see if Laci's body had surfaced. But Peterson's defense lawyer said the trips to the marina were innocent -- he was simply a concerned husband checking up on the search effort by divers there. And although he was driving his wife's Land Rover around Modesto, he rented a car because his own truck had been impounded by police.

In other developments Thursday:

• Prosecutors decided they would not call Peterson's mistress, Fresno massage therapist Amber Frey, to the stand during the preliminary hearing, held to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to make Peterson stand trial for the deaths of his wife and unborn son. She could still testify at trial, however.

• Brocchini described how Peterson, a 31-year-old fertilizer salesman, was a married man on the prowl, asking a woman he met at a convention to set him up with one of her friends. That's how he got Frey's phone number and began the affair.

• The detective testified that Peterson had obtained a fishing license dated Dec. 23 and 24, casting doubt on the suspect's statements that he had planned to play golf the day his wife disappeared -- Dec. 24 -- and only changed his mind that morning to go fishing instead.

• Testimony revealed that Laci's body, which washed up along the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay last April, had remnants of tan maternity pants -- pants her sister has testified Laci was wearing the night before Christmas Eve, not the black pair her husband said she was wearing when he left the house Christmas Eve morning. The remains also were wrapped with duct tape around the groin area -- testimony that sent Laci's mother and close friends out of the courtroom near tears.

Police believe Peterson killed his wife sometime late Dec. 23 or early Dec. 24, put her body in his fishing boat, towed it to the Berkeley Marina, and dumped it in the bay early Christmas Eve morning. The bodies washed up separately months later about a mile north of the marina..........

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Family: Peterson Had Several Affairs

Thursday, November 13, 2003

MODESTO, Calif. — Scott Peterson (search) has admitted to family members and friends that he cheated on his wife, Laci Peterson (search), at least four times with different women, Fox News has learned.

One relative, who does not believe Peterson is guilty of murder, described him as a sex addict.

"He has a sexual problem and has a need to sleep with other women," the relative told Fox News.

Scott Peterson's family has contended that his wife was aware of the affairs, and that although she would get angry she'd eventually put them behind her. Peterson's mother has told relatives and friends that she knew her daughter-in-law was aware of at least one affair, and that she once saw the couple arguing over it.

Amber Frey (search), a 28-year-old single mother and massage therapist, came forward as Peterson's lover shortly after his arrest in April for the murders of Laci and their unborn child. She has maintained that she did not know that Peterson was married, and that she knew nothing about the murders.

Peterson has told his family that his relationship with Frey, who is expected to testify in his preliminary hearing, was "strictly a physical relationship."

Laci Peterson's family has said they don't believe she knew about her husband’s indiscretions, Frey included.

Fox News has also learned that Scott Peterson's parents have sold old cars and refinanced their house to help pay the $1 million cost of their son's defense by high-profile attorney Mark Geragos (search).

Testimony continued Tuesday in the preliminary hearing to determine if Peterson, a former fertilizer salesman, will stand trial on two counts of murder.

Peterson has read almost 10,000 pages of the discovery material in the case while he sits behind bars.

He also spends his days doing yoga and making items out of toothpaste and toilet paper in his cell, where he has placed four or five photos of Laci, including one of the young woman sitting in a toy car during her pregnancy, sources told Fox News.

A police officer said Tuesday that he saw a bucket and mops in plain sight in front of the Peterson home as officers began investigating his pregnant wife's disappearance. ......

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LACI HUBBY'S MYSTERY MARINA TRIPS

LACI HUBBY'S MYSTERY MARINA TRIPS

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November 14, 2003 -- MODESTO, Calif. - Double murder suspect Scott Peterson made several suspicious trips to the waterfront where cops believe he dumped the body of his murdered wife, a detective testified yesterday. Modesto Detective Al Brocchini said investigators in January watched Peterson drive at least three times from Modesto to the Berkeley marina where he claims he set out on a solo fishing trip Christmas Eve, the night his pregnant wife, Laci, vanished.

Defense lawyer Mark Geragos admitted Peterson took the trips, but only to see police dive teams looking for Laci's body.

Meanwhile, Peterson's former mistress Amber Frey won't be called to testify at his .......

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Peterson Prelim Turns Nasty; Frey Will Not Testify

Peterson Prelim Turns Nasty; Frey Will Not Testify

POSTED: 10:17 AM PST November 13, 2003
UPDATED: 9:35 PM PST November 13, 2003

MODESTO, Calif. -- Scott Peterson's former mistress Amber Frey, rumored to be the centerpiece of the double murder case against the Modesto fertilizer salesman, will not testify at the preliminary hearing.

Frey's lawyer, Gloria Allred, said prosecutors "obviously made a determination" they have presented enough evidence to convince a judge to order Peterson to stand trial for the murder of his wife, Laci, and his unborn son.

Meanwhile, Modesto Police Det. Al Brocchini testified that police received a tip that a man who looked like Scott Peterson was seen driving toward San Francisco Bay before dawn Dec. 24 hauling a boat containing a blanket-swaddled bundle.

Brocchini said he got the tip Jan. 9 and anonymously relayed it in February to a hot line established by Scott Peterson and his family to see if they would pass the clue on to police.

"We weren't sure if he was culling out tips that were on him or on Laci sightings that we didn't know about," Brocchini said. "I was worried a good tip would come in and wouldn't get followed up on."

He said the Petersons never passed the message on to police, who had already investigated the tip. Brocchini said he interviewed the witness, but revealed nothing else about the man.

The testimony came on the eighth day of Peterson's preliminary hearing as prosecutors attempt to show there is enough evidence to have the 31-year-old fertilizer salesman tried on murder charges in the slayings of his wife and unborn son.<.......

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Superior Court, Stanislaus County November 13, 2003

Minute Order: Preliminary Hearing

(ie; Ninth day court provided overview)

[Lucy Lake]

Would you think with a body to dispose of, his motivation would overcome his fear, regardless of the lighting?

[STOCKHRSE]

CO, the probative value is that she has no direct knowledge of the time, place,and participants of "Actus Reus" and that would materially help my client (if he were my client).

I do not think a judge is likely to refuse, especially if she is likely to testify against my client at a later date.

It is BS CO, but everything is at this point.

IMHO this judge will allow anyone to testify since no jury is present.Besides CO, Anse got so upset at the possibility, her angst convinced me more.

Really Co, it is not my intent to upset a good conviction, but at this point there is no good conviction and Anse has agreed to that off-line. Normally I would not relate that but she/he has gotten very aggressive. I mean, she/he has invited me on-line to kiss his/her ass simply b/c I offered advice.....;-0). She did apologize off-line(character shows).


I really can't understand why she thinks I would owe her that favor.....GEEZ! me hopes it's she.....;-0)

Ah mean, look at my tag line, it's just my opinion! Submitted rhetorically. "Ah guess she never herd ah rhetorically"

Remember when we all swore to be nice to each other....;-00)

[Sandylapper]

Thanks, julie. You have boated at night with lights in a bigger boat that had some kind of headlights, right? That is a little boat that Scott had, and he would need rigged lights, I think. Not sure about that, but I have not seen any lights on that boat.

SP had, as far as we know, never had that little boat out on the bay before. Of course, we know he would have been desperate to rid himself of a body, but would he have been willing to take that kind of risk of placing himself on a boat without lights and going out that far? Hard to believe. We know he "liked" himself quite a lot. Heh heh. A little understatement there for humor.

[Sandylapper]

I know and you know and the whole world knows by now what the autospy report says, CO, but it doesn't mean that everybody believes that. It's a mighty hard sell. Frankly, I'd never heard of a coffin birth, but would be willing to buy that part if they've found any anchors. As to Conner and the tape that was around his little neck, well, that's another story.

[Sandylapper]

Believe you are in the same frame of mind that I am, Ray, that this has now become a "game" between prosecution and defense, and you and I want to know what's factual/logical and what's emotional. The case on surface was highly emotional--how could anyone premeditate and murder a 7 1/2 month pregnant, beautiful, almost perfect wife? What kind of a monster is this? And, of course, every woman and most men want to see him strung up.

Once it gets in the court system, it's another story--it becomes a game--who's got what? Prosecution vs. defense--not who did this horrific, unspeakable thing to poor Laci, but did Scott do it? As things unfold, we'll see who did what, when, where and how and they will lead to the truth, or at least, we hope they will. Court records are written for history,--and facts will be documented. Sorry, emotions not allowed, unless you have a jury completely stacked with emotional people. JMO

[cinFLA]

Thanks, julie. You have boated at night with lights in a bigger boat that had some kind of headlights, right?

Most night boating is done WITHOUT headlights.

[RGSpincich]

The moon was full on the 21st and at about 89% on the 23rd if I remember correctly. I'll try to find that source.

[Sandylapper]

So, it was "moonlight bay", huh? Possible. On that kind of "untested boat"? Well, possible, of course, but now we really need "David" to testify, I suppose.

[drjulie]

"SP had, as far as we know, never had that little boat out on the bay before. Of course, we know he would have been desperate to rid himself of a body, but would he have been willing to take that kind of risk of placing himself on a boat without lights and going out that far?"

He would have to have some kind of light - I wonder if the police have checked that out. Yes, I do think he'd be willing to take that kind of risk.

[drjulie]

"Most night boating is done WITHOUT headlights."

We at least put a light on the back of our boat so that others can see us. Moonlight certainly helps with visibility.

[Sandylapper]

Agreed--he'd have to have some kind of good light--not just a flashlight, I would think. Of course, there was almost a full moon, RG said, and that would help. Still, they haven't come up with any anchors or other body parts from that particular area, and I'm hard pressed to believe that the strong undertow took everything out to sea--anchors and all.

[Canadian Outrage]

The reason I said that Geragos MUST show the Judge that Amber can be a benefit to their case and that he (The Judge) likely will not allow her to testify for the defense is this: All of the Lawyers both Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys alike agreed that it was Very Unlikely that the Judge would grant Geragos's request. They didn't explain why but they all agreed so I suppose we will wait and see. Johnny Cochran of course needed to get a comment in that this Judge seems to be PRO-Prosecution. I think he's just a no nonsense Judge. At least he doesn't appear to be into Geragos's gamesmanship. There is also, as the Attorney's explained, a real danger to the Defense if they call Amber and attempt to get into the "previous bad acts" scenario. If The Defense opens that door, then the Prosecution may do the same with Peterson. And the only way that Peterson can defend himself is to take the stand. I feel fairly confident that neither Peterson or his Lawyers would be willing to do that. Most of the Lawyers seemed to think it was grandstanding. I guess we will see. As to upsetting a good conviction. You aren't doing that. My convictions are my convictions. I'm willing to be proven wrong, but I don't expect it at this point. That's just my opinion. Laci deserves Justice Ray and living with the Law Myself and working with Lawyers every day I know how Prosecutions work. Most Prosecutors are EXTREMELY careful.They are very unwilling to prosecute weak cases. They do NOT want to get their Ass whipped and I can understand that. They carefully go over their "case" and then that case is reviewed by higher ups before they even proceed to charge a case. In a death penalty case, I cannot believe that the Prosecutors and their Superiors would embark on such a venture if they had a very weak case. Just have never seen it happen. If anything, I always found them to be too careful. I am very anxious to "hear" Peterson's own voice. That just might solve everyone's disagreements. Also, I don't hold grudges so relax. However, I also don't believe we need to suspect everything that moves and attach dishonest motives to hard working LE officers who have spent untold hours of overtime chasing down leads and verifying certain facts. The fact that they may not have taken an interest in certain eyewitnesses is understandable. Those people have basically ruled themselves out through the evidence gathered from Laci's body. Even Pixley said, that the pants match is a "problem" for the Defense and likely the most compelling piece of evidence he has heard so far. We may also find that Peterson may have left a fingerprint on the Duct tape. I believe some real surprises are in store for us. THAT'S JUST MY OPINION!!

[Canadian Outrage]

grizz someone DID verify that moon phase. May have even been Diver Dave or RGS!!

[Canadian Outrage]

I wasn't intimating that the undertow would take the anchors away. Looser parts probably. Also do you not recall when the searching was going on that it was reported that there was a tremendous depth of pure silt at the bottom of the Bay. It would be tough slugging because the divers would basically have to be digging. The parts may very well STILL be there but be buried. OTOH we don't know yet what the box of 31 items contains. We don't know what the wiretapped evidence will reveal etc. I am sincerely convinced that the Prosecution team has saved their best evidence for a Jury.

[RGSpincich]

Still, they haven't come up with any anchors or other body parts from that particular area,

Be patient, grasshopper. We didn't know about the gun until the officer who took it testified that he did indeed take it from SP's glove box. The prosecution is not finished presenting it's case.

[Sandylapper]

I sure hope you two are right, but if I were prosecution at this point in time, I'd be slugging through all that evidence and finding something pretty good I had to offer besides the hair.

So, you guys think they're playing a "concealed hand"? Sorry, but I think they're bluffing, and I'd play a pretty good card right now. Never said I was any good at poker. LOL

[Canadian Outrage]

Good advice!!

[hergus]

...the Modbee got the story about when the insurance was purchased (summer 2002) from one of the Rochas.

Source please?

This isn't new info about the date the insurance was purchased, I had it on my evidentiary quote page for months.

I had Scott's quote in Sawyer's interview concerning the purchase date of the insurance and confirmation in the media.

I don't have it at hand this minute. But it's been several months since I posted that to my website, so the date the the media reported the correct information was months ago.

[Sandylapper]

Geragos/McAllister revealed or wormed that tidbit in the court transcripts. The transcripts said that MPD knew that the dates of both policies were January 2001.