Flurry of legal motions coming
By JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITER
Last Updated: December 1, 2003, 10:42:36 AM PST
Scott Peterson's trial date is expected to be set Wednesday after he is formally arraigned on charges he murdered his wife and unborn son.
But whatever date is picked could be pushed back for any of a number of reasons, including hearings on moving the trial to another county because of massive publicity.
Peterson, 31, faces his second arraignment in the case after Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami last month upheld the charges following a 12-day preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the former fertilizer salesman accused of murdering his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner.
Girolami is likely also to consider other issues Wednesday, including:
Releasing Peterson's pickup truck and $15,000 cash found with him when he was arrested. Police are currently holding the items.
Lifting or revising a gag order prohibiting people connected to the case from speaking publicly about it.
Sealing six items of evidence submitted during Peterson's preliminary hearing.
Unsealing autopsy reports and search and arrest warrant documents at the request of The Bee and other newspapers Scheduling hearings on defense motions to exclude from trial evidence from wiretaps, vehicle-tracking devices, scent-tracking dogs and a hypnotized witness.
Peterson's attorneys, Mark Geragos and Kirk McAllister, filed a motion last week asking for the cash and the truck to be released to Peterson or his "designated representative."
"It's an expensive task for the family to fund this," Geragos said in Stanislaus County Superior Court.
Investigators seized Peterson's 2002 Ford pickup Dec. 27 while they searched his Covena Avenue home.
They found $15,000 cash with him when he was arrested April 18 north of San Diego driving a used Mercedes he had recently purchased........
... and no bait. Mm-hmm. Sure!
I think the alibi was going to be golf. But then someone was around when he went to the Bay. So he had to change his story somewhat.