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Friend: Peterson was frantic
The Modesto Bee ^ | 12/05/03 | Garth stapely

Posted on 12/08/2003 5:52:00 AM PST by runningbear

Friend: Peterson was frantic

Friend: Peterson was frantic

By GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITER

Last Updated: December 5, 2003, 07:25:21 AM PST

Scott Peterson sounded frantic when he called a friend after Peterson's pregnant wife disappeared Christmas Eve, Modesto businessman Gregory Reed said Thursday. Reed's name surfaced in the intrigue-packed preliminary hearing for Scott Peterson. The hearing ended Nov. 18 with a judge ordering the 31-year-old former fertilizer salesman to stand trial on charges of slaying Laci Peterson and their unborn son, Conner.

Other former acquaintances of the defendant, also mentioned at the proceeding, refused to comment.

Reed and his wife, Kristen, held private Lamaze sessions attended by the Petersons, who lived a few blocks away in the La Loma neighborhood. Gregory Reed previously said the Petersons brought meals and visited after the Reeds' child was born.

"They were good people," Reed said Thursday.

At the preliminary hearing, detectives testified that on the night of Dec. 24, Scott Peterson told them he fished alone briefly that day in San Francisco Bay. Peterson said his wife, who had been planning to walk their dog when he left, was gone when he returned.

Prosecutors contend that Peterson used his pickup to transport the body of his wife to his work warehouse and then to the bay.

Steve Jacobson, a prosecution investigator, testified that Peterson used his cell phone to call Reed shortly after leaving the Berkeley Marina on Dec. 24, and again later that evening. There was nothing unusual about the first call, Reed said.

"I could tell he was driving," Reed said, "but I don't know where. I could hear road noise and feedback.

"A few hours later I did get that frantic phone call. I caught up with him and went over to the house."

Family members, friends and neighbors gathered that night to post fliers and search for the mother-to-be.

Peterson's attorney, Mark Geragos of Los Angeles, appeared at the hearing to draw the image of a man concerned at having returned to an empty house. Jacobson confirmed that Peterson made numerous calls the evening of Dec. 24, including several to his wife's mother, Sharon Rocha, and sister, Amy Rocha, and later to 911........

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Taping calls is legally tricky

By GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITER

Last Updated: December 6, 2003, 07:01:58 AM PST

Amber Frey secretly taped her phone conversations with suspected double-murderer Scott Peterson, but such an action is only legal under very specific circumstances. Recording calls is against the law in California -- unless the one taping gets the other person's consent. Another law permits covert recording to gather evidence of certain crimes, including murder.

That's how Frey did it. In fact, she had help from detectives who bought her a recording device and showed her how to use it -- hoping she could extract evidence from her boyfriend.

Peterson, 31, is scheduled to stand trial Jan. 26 on charges of murdering his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

In a preliminary hearing last month, authorities suggested that the defendant's romance with Frey may have provided him with a motive to kill his wife.

Frey approached Modesto police on Dec. 30, six days after Laci Peterson went missing, and began cooperating with authorities. Detective Al Brocchini testified that he gave her taping equipment that same day.

Brocchini said he bought some of it at Radio Shack. The store sells a "recorder control" for $24.19 -- with a caution urging buyers to check local laws because taping without consent is illegal in some states.

Questioning from a defense attorney suggested that Frey had begun taping their calls on her own as of Dec. 16.

In any case, she continued recording their calls for about seven weeks. Transcripts from one featured Peterson saying he was "longing to hold onto" Frey; he repeatedly deflected questions about having previously lied about his wife and unborn baby.

Authorities also obtained wiretap warrants for Peterson's cell phones allowing them to record all of his calls. Those recordings were not discussed at the preliminary hearing, though prosecutors reserved the option of introducing that evidence at trial.

Before 1967, anyone in California could tape a phone chat without fear of going afoul of the law. But state legislators that year adopted a series of eavesdropping statutes, including one prohibiting one-party-consent recording.

"To me, it's just offensive that people record conversations, in terms of .......

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Superior Court, Stanislaus County December 5, 2003

Minute Order: Findings on Sealing Orders

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Superior Court, Stanislaus County December 5, 2003

Minute Order: Correction to Minute Order of 12/3/03.....

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(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: avoidingchildsupport; baby; babyunborn; conner; deathpenaltytime; dontubelievemyalibi; faker; getarope; ibefishing; laci; lacipeterson; liar; nohewasnt; phony; phonybologna; smallbaby; smallchild; sonkiller; unborn; wifekiller
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To: Velveeta
Can you BELIEVE that? 8000 pages? And the judge is going to read all this? Oh, okay...
241 posted on 12/12/2003 6:51:34 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Sandylapper
That could be. We were all speculating that that was one of the reasons Amy was crying when she left the house.
242 posted on 12/12/2003 6:52:03 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Devil_Anse
I love it. Except since his schnazz is a tad "cigar shaped" perhaps Monica could be branded on his nose.
243 posted on 12/12/2003 6:53:57 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Velveeta
Puhleeze, Vel, don't forget that SP also drugged MacKenzie and kicked Laci's cat! ROFL
244 posted on 12/12/2003 6:54:19 PM PST by Sandylapper
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To: Devil_Anse
Someone would sink like a rock wearing such things.

I hope they're sold with appropriate warning labels: "Do not attempt to swim while wearing ankle weights, as this could be hazardous to your health."

245 posted on 12/12/2003 6:57:36 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Rusty Roberts
Yes, the NE's idea of his putting the tan pants back on her, that's starting to bother me. Okay, I don't believe that one. (And I'm rather gullible!)

I think she died wearing those tan pants and that patterned shirt--the one that was balled up in her underwear drawer (supposedly.) Or she was wearing the pants, but not the shirt. (After all, the remains had no trace of a shirt.)

Okay, well, maybe he snuck up on her while she was starting to change for bed. Suppose she had just taken her shirt off. Or suppose he used her shirt to strangle her with. I mean, she might have been just lifting it over her head, and he came up and grabbed it and got it around her neck tightly...

Oh, wait. The pajamas in the grocery bag. Then what was THAT about?
246 posted on 12/12/2003 6:58:29 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Devil_Anse
It's probably 8000 pictures of Geragos labeled as such.

"Here's one with me and Larry King" "Here's one with me and Greta." "Oh, I look good in this one with Dan Abrams"..."Here's one with..."
247 posted on 12/12/2003 7:00:36 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Devil_Anse
Did they ever find those 20# ankle weights? I thought MPD was going on the theory that he made concrete weights to sink poor Laci.
248 posted on 12/12/2003 7:01:19 PM PST by Sandylapper
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To: Sandylapper
Please don't make me re-do my list!

Greta is on, back later.
249 posted on 12/12/2003 7:01:34 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Sandylapper
Okay, Scott walks.

I am just thinking, though... one thing that has bothered me all along is something that will not be presented by the state as an argument that Scott did it. But in spite of that, it is something that in MY mind makes ME think Scott did it: the question I have for you is (and yes, I know this has no place in a courtroom), if Scott didn't kill her, who did, and above all, WHY?
250 posted on 12/12/2003 7:02:48 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Velveeta
"She was wearing a black tarp and a white pillowcase, Officer".

Omigosh, that is funny and not funny at the same time!!

"Gobs of jewelry".

Yeah, well we know why THAT was reported--so he could make an insurance claim for those diamonds.
251 posted on 12/12/2003 7:16:39 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Velveeta
ROFL!!! Hey, it would IMPROVE his looks...
252 posted on 12/12/2003 7:19:00 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Velveeta
LOL!!! And they better have that on there in Spanish, too!

253 posted on 12/12/2003 7:21:33 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Velveeta
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!

254 posted on 12/12/2003 7:22:16 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Sandylapper
As far as I know, they didn't find them.

I'm sure they DO think he used the concrete--AND the ankle weights. Can't have too much weight when sinking a body! (Gee, we've learned so many useful things in the last 11 months!)

And whaddya know, all the weight that was on that body STILL wasn't enough to keep it down...
255 posted on 12/12/2003 7:24:11 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Devil_Anse
Yeah, well we know why THAT was reported--so he could make an insurance claim for those diamonds.

And, perhaps, pass them on to his beloved Amber.

256 posted on 12/12/2003 7:32:41 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Devil_Anse
Gosh, can you believe it's been almost a year??? ROFL! And here we are...still.


257 posted on 12/12/2003 7:34:43 PM PST by Velveeta
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To: Devil_Anse
if Scott didn't kill her, who did, and above all, WHY?

If he didn't, then money or a jealous woman would/could be the motive. We heard from that character, Carroll (or his attorney, Muna), that there was a kidnap plan, and that they were planning to extort money from the Rochas. It has occured to me that maybe SP told the gang that say $250k would be no problem for the Rochas. Suppose for a minute that (IF SP didn't do it), after Laci disappeared, SP got the feeling that the Rochas were kind of po'd at him, and he'd better not ask them! Then, say, he was trying to come up with the money himself to get her back, like selling Laci's car, trying to sell the house, but he knew dang well he'd better not tell anyone of his sleazy plan. Suppose Dirty and Skeeter gave him two weeks or so to come up with money, and SP couldn't or wouldn't. He would have been afraid of Dirty and Skeeter and wouldn't want to toss their names out there, and he certainly didn't want to go to jail himself, so .....

As for the jealous lover, maybe we should look more carefully at his neighbor who seemed to be around at all times. Just a couple of ideas--if Scott didn't do it himself.

258 posted on 12/12/2003 7:37:15 PM PST by Sandylapper
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To: Velveeta
Somehow doubt that MG will want THAT statement included. What a prick!!
259 posted on 12/12/2003 7:42:11 PM PST by Canadian Outrage (All us Western Canuks belong South!!)
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To: Velveeta
Thank you for bringing us up to speed on the latest news and the tabloid story.

I think he strangled her with his bare hands. While she was still dressed.

The tabloids always slip up on a few details.

I also think she fought like a lioness to protect her unborn son.

So sad.

My heart goes out to the Rochas as Christmas approaches.
260 posted on 12/12/2003 7:54:35 PM PST by Palladin (Proud to be a FReeper!)
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