Friend: Peterson was frantic

The Modesto Bee ^ | 12/05/03 | Garth stapely

[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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[Devil_Anse]

Oh, those silly news articles! They always try to be FAIR and UNBIASED! Nonsense! Why don't they just come out and say it: Geragos is a jackass and we are so glad someone is answering all the garbage he is spewing out!

Ah, that felt better. Heh heh.

[Devil_Anse]

Hey, didn't it say he signed up for all those porn channels on Jan. 18? Wasn't that almost the exact time Kim McGregor broke into the house? You don't suppose.... ??

[Devil_Anse]

Curious life he must have had growing up with brothers and sisters popping out of the woodwork.

Snicker...SNORRRF! Just like Bill Clinton!

[Devil_Anse]

Priceless!!!

This guy is as nuts as they come!

Has anyone checked the whereabouts of Michael Newdow during that incident?

[Devil_Anse]

It's still so OUT THERE, to me, that a narcissist wouldn't instead look at their "spawn" as "oh, look--an adorable little ME"!

I did, however, see one example of what you're talking about, in a movie recently. I was watching the A&E series "Vanity Fair". Don't know if you're familiar with the story, but it's good, see it if you get the chance. The character Becky Sharp is (in my layman's opinion) a narcissist and a con artist. And guess what? She really, really hates her own child. Always shunts him aside. Always tries to get him away from her. Can't stand to share the limelight--as you said.

[Devil_Anse]

Hey, try this on for size. We always hear that "Scott and Laci were trying to have a baby." But maybe that was just a facade. Maybe when it was just the two of them together, they argued about it. Maybe Laci kept asking to have a baby, and maybe Scott kept putting her off. Maybe Laci got tired of being put off, and just left off the birth control--but w/o telling Scott. Maybe he felt that she had tricked him, that she had gotten the better of him... and maybe he felt mad enough about that to kill her.

I mean, there she'd be, in his mind, doing what he said not to do, and he had to sit by helplessly and watch it happen, UNLESS... unless he struck the final blow (killing both her and the kid) and "won the game".

[drjulie]

"Doc, if we now see that SP had told previous girlfriends that he didn't want children, I would assume that he told Laci that as well. Why do you suppose he went along with "trying to have a baby" with Laci for about one year before she became pregnant?"

One possibility is preservation of his image. If he refused to have the baby Laci may complain to his family, her family, and their friends. This would make him look bad and he would perceive this as very threatening, perhaps intolerable. It will be interesting to see if the prosecution has uncovered any evidence that he did not want the baby (I'm guessing there are bits here and there -like what we read in the NE and what he told Amber).

[drjulie]

"Also, is narcissism a learned or inherited type of behavior?"

We don't know. There is quite a bit of theorizing among psychodynamic theorists. They believe these people often have cold, rejecting parents. The narcissism is a way of defending against feelings of rejection and unworthiness. Also, it is a way convincing themselves that they don't need intimate relationships with others. Evidence that supports these theories: Abused children, children of divorced parents, children given up for adoption, and children who have lost a parent to death all have a higher risk of being narcissistic.

There is also theorizing among behavioral/cognitive theorists. They believe that narcissism can be caused by treatment that is too positive or favorable. Evidence that supports this theory: First born & only children tend to be more narcissistic. Also, recent studies of narcissistic/sociopathic criminals suggests higher than average scores on self-esteem measures.

I'm not aware of any studies showing a biological component to this problem but there are some studies supporting biological factors in causing antisocial personality disorder. They tend to be underaroused, have less anxiety, and be sensation-seeking. The underarousal may make it difficult to learn from experience.

[drjulie]

"And if that's the case, it may have been too much of a blow to his narcissistic IMAGE for him to accept."

This is quite possible.

[drjulie]

"It's still so OUT THERE, to me, that a narcissist wouldn't instead look at their "spawn" as "oh, look--an adorable little ME"!"

Borderline personalities are more likely to over identify with their children and "live through them". As you pointed out, narcissists just want to be the center of attention so they typically don't want children.

[cyborg]

SP was as frantic as that beotch Susan Smith was crying and weeping about her kids being kidnapped.

[Cloe]

I think Kim McGregor may have lots to tell about Laci and Scott's relationship - at least I hope so.

Sometimes I wonder if Laci had just had more then enough of Scott's behavior. I think she tolerated a lot during their marriage but maybe she had decided she wanted a better life for her baby and wasn't going to put up with his actions anymore.
If Scott had never wanted children to begin with,and now was under pressure to change his life style because of the baby's arrival,he might have felt murder was the only solution.I think the baby was a huge threat in Scotts mind.

[Cloe]

Do people with narcissism ever feel guilty about their reactions or feelings?
For example - if Scott did not want children and was becoming increasingly more threatened by the baby's arrival would he ever feel bad because he felt this way?

[Devil_Anse]

I agree. It's very annoying that Susan Smith is not dead.

[Cloe]

There does seem to be similarities between these two cases - the total indifference to the lives of their children and the method of disposal, just for a start!

[cyborg]

They're both self centered to the point of sickness and need to be put away if not capital punishment. Peterson is a scum bucket twice over because the little infant didn't even have a chance to live.

[drjulie]

"Do people with narcissism ever feel guilty about their reactions or feelings?"

No, they usually don't. The most common response is to blame others, even when it doesn't make sense. Think of how a small child reacts.

I do want to be careful about this - I can't say for sure that SP has NPD or any other personality disorder. That said, I'm more than happy to continue to answer questions/ make observations about his behavior and to answer questions about these disorders in general.

[Cloe]

Thanks - I get your point.
So, if a person{like Scott!} was found to have that personality disorder they would be able to easily justify their reactions in their own mind.

[drjulie]

"So, if a person{like Scott!} was found to have that personality disorder they would be able to easily justify their reactions in their own mind."

Yes.

[Devil_Anse]

Yup--self-centered.

As the years pass, I find that I have less and less patience for self-centered people, even those who do not murder.