Peterson lawyer hails data
By JOHN COTÉ and GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITER
Last Updated: February 19, 2004, 05:25:14 AM PST
REDWOOD CITY -- Hair taken off duct tape found with Laci Peterson's remains does not match her husband, his defense attorney said in court Wednesday.
The attorney, Mark Geragos, made the statement while discussing a series of what he said was 800 pages of new information prosecutors turned over Tuesday.
"I've got pages on pages of hair comparison that are very detailed that exclude my client at every single point," Geragos said.
He added that the new documents from the state Department of Justice and the FBI contained information that could help his client.
Geragos charged that the documents revealed investigations into other people, and that someone allegedly claimed to be responsible for the crimes.
It was unclear if Geragos was referring to duct tape found on Laci Peterson's remains or near the body. A 12- to 18-inch piece of tape was found in the groin area of her tan maternity pants, Modesto police Detective Phil Owen testified at her husband's preliminary hearing.
Also, five stains in Peterson's boat that police thought were human blood turned out to be something else, Geragos said.
Prosecutors contend Scott Peterson murdered his pregnant wife on or just before Christmas Eve 2002 and then ferried her body to San Francisco Bay in a recently bought 14-foot aluminum boat.
Her body and that of her unborn son, Conner, were found in April within a few miles of where her husband said he went fishing the day she was reported missing.
Peterson has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in their deaths. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Prosecutor Dave Harris suggested the defense was trying to resurrect its theory that suspicious people in a brown van were connected to the case. Authorities later found a van the defense was seeking and questioned and then cleared its occupants.
"It's not the brown van," Geragos replied. "There is a series of seven witnesses who have a completely separate connection to this."
Harris argued that the newly provided information was largely notes by lab technicians and other witnesses and did not exonerate Peterson.
Prosecutors were not withholding information but simply turning over documents as soon as they received them, he said.
But Judge Alfred Delucchi chastised prosecutors for providing the documents so late.
"I was under the impression that this case was ready for trial," Delucchi said. Jury selection could start next week.
"You're going to have to get these guys on the ball and get that stuff to Mr. Geragos," Delucchi said.
If the matter was not resolved quickly, the judge said he would set a deadline. Any information not provided to the defense by then would not be admissible at trial.
Late papers cause for debate.......
So if the state fails to meet a deadline, and doesn't get some arguably exculpatory evidence to the defense in time, that arguably exculpatory evidence can't be used at trial? Bwaahaha.
Cat and dog hair?