Quandary over families at trial

The Modesto Bee ^ | June 1, 2004 | Garth Stapely and John Cote'

[runningbear]

Quandary over families at trial

THE BEE Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, next to husband Ron, could testify -- she talked to Peterson the night before her disappearance. THE BEE

Scott Peterson's father Lee Peterson, next to wife Jackie, talked to his son a few hours before Laci Peterson was reported missing. THE BEE

SNIP IT:

Quandary over families at trial

By GARTH STAPLEY and JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITERS

Last Updated: June 1, 2004, 04:28:55 AM PDT

REDWOOD CITY -- Players in People vs. Peterson have hammered out ground rules on dozens of issues leading to today's opening statements, but have not touched a potentially explosive question: What to do with the families?

Scott and Laci Peterson's relatives regularly attended most proceedings up until jury selection. But many could be called as witnesses and, as such, normally would be excluded from the double-murder trial........

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Two death penalty trials cross paths

Two death penalty trials cross paths

By Michelle Durand, Daily Journal Staff

This morning, at precisely the same time, one capital murder trial ends while another begins at the Redwood City courthouse.

Scott Peterson, accused of killing his wife Laci, and confessed murderer Seti Scanlan have little in common aside from being two death penalty defendants in the same county, in courtrooms down the hall from each other. But, depending on the juries’ ultimate decisions, both could also end up together on San Quentin’s death row.

Opening statements begin at 9 a.m. in Peterson’s trial, thought to be the state’s most publicized case since the O.J. Simpson murder trial..........

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List Of Charges Filed Against Scott Peterson

List Of Charges Filed Against Scott Peterson

POSTED: 10:06 am PDT May 31, 2004

Charges filed against Scott Peterson, 31, on April 21, 2003:

COUNT I: On or about and between December 23, 2002, and December 24, 2002, defendant did commit a felony, MURDER, violation of Section 187 of the California Penal Code, in that the defendant did willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously and with malice aforethought murder Laci Denise Peterson, a human being.

SPECIAL ALLEGATION: It is further alleged as to Count I, MURDER, that the defendant acted intentionally, deliberately and with premeditation. ...........

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TINY CONNER'S 'MURDER' A PRO-CHOICE PARADOX

TINY CONNER'S 'MURDER' A PRO-CHOICE PARADOX

By ANDREA PEYSER

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May 30, 2004 -- HIS name was Conner. As Scott Peterson heads to his murder trial, a parallel battle is being waged in the California courtroom by the case's littlest victim.

Peterson's son, known as Conner - a boy killed even before he was born - is fighting for the right to be called a person.

Or is he a fetus?

Even before the trial kicks off, the confounding case against Peterson, charged with murdering his eight-months-pregnant wife, Laci, and the soon-to-be-born baby she carried, has managed to turn virtually everyone in America into a card-carrying hypocrite. ........

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Can the prosecutors make their case stick?
THE PROBLEM: The evidence on hand is only circumstantial

Can the prosecutors make their case stick?
THE PROBLEM: The evidence on hand is only circumstantial

Stacy Finz, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, June 1, 2004

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There's no confession, no eyewitness and, so far, no weapon.

But prosecutors contend they have enough circumstantial evidence to send Scott Peterson to San Quentin's death chamber for allegedly murdering his wife, Laci, and the couple's unborn child. Opening statements in the trial are to begin today.

Legal watchers .........

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Great news title:

A cheating husband faces trial for murder in city set against him

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TRIAL DAY FOR SCOTT PETERSON

SCOTT PETERSON Case won't be televised

.......

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Prosecutors plan to play TV interviews they say are filled with defendant's lies

Scott Peterson said during this Jan. 28, 2003, interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC New's 'Good Morning America' that he was having an affair -- and that his wife knew it -- prior to her disappearance. The Associate Pres.......

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Lawyers polish their game plans

Lawyers polish their game plans

By Jason Dearen, STAFF WRITER

AFTER police arrested Scott Peterson in San Diego County in April 2003, an angry mob greeted him back in Modesto, carrying signs accusing the fertilizer salesman of killing his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn child. During the 31/2 months between Laci's disappearance on Christmas Eve 2002 and the grisly discovery of the bodies on the shores of San Francisco Bay, a Fresno massage therapist and single mother named Amber Frey held a press conference.......

[Devil_Anse]

We knew a long time ago that he had approached a realtor friend about listing the house, as early as January 2003. But now we learn it's on tape???

I would love to hear the tape, b/c I have a feeling his voice is not going to be the voice of a grieving, distracted husband. If his voice is even halfway casual or businesslike on that tape made only a month after Laci vanished, I think just his tone of voice might have an impact on the jury. I think human beings pick up a lot just from the tone of another human being's voice.

[pinz-n-needlez]

Wouldn't tarps covered with gasoline be a fire hazzard?

Wnder if 'fertilizer' means he took a sh-t on it, or opened a bag of the stuff he was selling to local farmers....

Pinz

[Devil_Anse]

So what about Lee and Jackie? Doesn't sound like they had any particular reaction to the gruesome photos of their grandchild??

[Devil_Anse]

Chris Pixie is obviously unfamiliar with how pregnant women are... I won't speculate as to why...

People who are that pregnant sweat, and are sometimes troubled by incontinence, and... it's just way too icky to NOT change clothes as much as possible. Plus women of that particular class (middle-class) have it ingrained in them that they should not wear the same clothes two days in a row--or sleep in their clothes--unless they are... camping, or something. Pixie is a moron.

[Devil_Anse]

For some reason, Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom just looks kind of weird no matter how she does her hair. A year ago, I recall she had some hairdo that made it look like her head had sharp right angles.

[Devil_Anse]

That's okay, RR--if they do that, if they try to say Laci had just become this wife that he couldn't measure up to, this wife who was too expensive for him, then all they'll be doing is showing even MORE motive for his unbalanced little mind to feel cornered, and to contemplate murdering her.

As a matter of fact, earlier today Dan Abrams reported on new details from Scott's arrest warrant, just made public. According to the warrant, Scott was in a financial hole, in that his business was failing, and Laci was set on being a stay-at-home mom, and he was feeling very overwhelmed by all the building financial responsibilities.

[Jackie-O]

Ah the tarps covered with gasoline and fertilizer...remember the report that he was concerned that his employer might find out that he was storing his boat in their facility??? Were the tarps found in that condition in the same facility that he was so meticulous about??
Greta asking about the post mortum measurement of the femur of Connor...this is key IMO..
I remember when I got ultrasounds of little man..many of them because they had to match up the measurements of his spine and circumference of his head in comparison to the femur to determine his age so to schedule my c-section.
They (Pros) WILL have an opinion of Connors age to refute MG's assertion that Connor lived for weeks after Laci's disappearance...

[Jackie-O]

I would love to hear the tape, b/c I have a feeling his voice is not going to be the voice of a grieving, distracted husband. If his voice is even halfway casual or businesslike on that tape made only a month after Laci vanished, I think just his tone of voice might have an impact on the jury. I think human beings pick up a lot just from the tone of another human being's voice.

Agree!!

[lakey]

Thanks for the ping. I'm looking forward to this trial.

Do you happen to remember if there actually was a fingerprint found on the tarp duct tape, or was it a figment of a freeper's imagination?

[Jackie-O]

Nothing about a fingerprint on duct tape...YET

[fiesti]

I am still wonder about any news on the tarps found in the bay and any connection to Laci ??? Also never heard whose skull that was they found some months ago....Could they find weights or Laci's head and not tell defense that they had or do they have to devulge ???

[sissyjane]

Sorry--fingerprint on duct tape??

I haven't heard this.

[Rusty Roberts]

"As a matter of fact, earlier today Dan Abrams reported on new details from Scott's arrest warrant, just made public. According to the warrant, Scott was in a financial hole, in that his business was failing, and Laci was set on being a stay-at-home mom, and he was feeling very overwhelmed by all the building financial responsibilities."

Ah-so...he was a little pissed as well that she wasn't going to be contributing to the household income as well, I'm sure. So many reasons to resent his predicament, so little time....

Tonight, as they played some of his interviews, after all this time, it really is bizarre to watch the emotionless responses. There are questions where the words might fit, but the eyes and tone are not matching. He was an out of body experience at the time.

[Canadian Outrage]

That does it - Pixley is STOOOOPID!!

[lakey]

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm suffering from overload.

[Canadian Outrage]

Rusty you could be right but I'll tell you one thing, IF Scott actually attempts to blame Laci, there is liable to be an explosion in the Court room. SHE sure didn't have the money problem it was HIM. HE had to have the $25,000.00 golf membership, new truck, 50 cell phones, expensive golf clothes, money to romance his chicks with. IF Geragos tries that one, it will fall to the floor like a lead ball!!

[RGSpincich]

Yep, it's beginning to look like the head was never in the Bay. Hope for splatter into the barrel of the gun.

[Canadian Outrage]

I wonder if Geragos will be an A$$ tomorrow?? I mean a bigger one than usual? Perhaps he'll have a toque he can pull over his head so he can look like the twit Johnny Cochran did. Who knows, but it will likely be colorful. The Police are all liars,the real killers were seen letting Laci take a whiz on the side of the road about 5 miles away. Or was it the 3 dark guys sitting in the van across the street, or???? Beth Karas, this morning said these witnesses are basically useless. Because MG is saying they "might" be relevant he is letting them in just so that there can be no reversal. THEY ARE USELESS!!

[Canadian Outrage]

I believe that too Dev. I wonder if he shot her in the head as he hung her head over the side of the boat?? Gruesome I know, but that gun MUST have some relevance!!

[pinz-n-needlez]

At best, he'll try to put a cloak of respectability on his vicious insanity, imo.

I can just see Miss Prim and Proper, Everything-is-Fine, Laci taking a whiz on the side of the road. NOT!!!

It will be interesting to see what pile of bs he finally settles on....

Pinz