First full day of testimony in Laci Peterson murder case

WHNT19.com ^ | 6/2004

[runningbear]

ALL SNIP ITS:

First full day of testimony in Laci Peterson murder case

Redwood City, California-AP _ The first full day of testimony gets under way today in Scott Peterson's murder trial in Redwood City, California.

He's accused of murdering his wife and their unborn son.

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Geragos deconstructs prosecution's case against Peterson

Article Last Updated: Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 3:09:35 AM PST

Geragos deconstructs prosecution's case against Peterson

Defense attorney: Fetus was born full-term therefore defendant's not responsible for murders

By Jason Dearen, STAFF WRITER

REDWOOD CITY -- Scott Peterson is a cad not a killer, his defense attorney said Wednesday as he began an assault on the very essence of the evidence against Peterson -- when his wife and child died.

In the scenario cast by attorney Mark Geragos, the child was born alive weeks after Christmas Eve 2002, the date prosecutors say his mother, Laci Peterson, had been killed.

"If this baby was born alive, clearly Scott Peterson had nothing to do with this murder," Geragos explained to the six men and six women of the jury. .......

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Peterson's lawyer attacks investigators' work

"Posted on Thu, Jun. 03, 2004

Peterson's lawyer attacks investigators' work

By Brian Anderson

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

REDWOOD CITY - Saying Scott Peterson was "stone-cold innocent," defense attorney Mark Geragos blasted the police detectives Wednesday who investigated the murder of Laci Peterson and the thin case he said they cobbled together against her husband.

In his first chance to lay out his side of the case, Geragos said Modesto police believed early on that Peterson had something to do with his wife's Dec. 24, 2002, disappearance and they worked to prove only that. Through slipshod detective work, lies and far-fetched theories, they built a laughable case from circumstantial evidence that led to the prosecution of an innocent man, he said.

"The evidence is going to show beyond any doubt that not only is Scott Peterson not guilty.""......

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Circus talk pans out
First day draws media, gawkers and other crazies.

Circus talk pans out
First day draws media, gawkers and other crazies.

Published on Wednesday, June 2, 2004

URL: http://www.examiner.com/article/index.cfm/i/060204n_peterson2

REDWOOD CITY -- The same gravity that is holding together the "12 galaxies" apparently had enough pull to draw San Francisco's eccentric sign-toting icon, Frank Chiu, and others looking for a little collateral publicity, to the Redwood City Courthouse on Tuesday for the start of the Scott Peterson murder trial.

Parked near the courthouse in a van covered with biblical and anti-abortion messages, Ronald Brock of San Diego sought attention for his message that killing an unborn child, through abortion or any other means, is a crime.

"Murder is murder, give Conner justice," read a banner on the van. Conner was the name Scott and Laci Peterson planned to give their unborn child before a pregnant Laci disappeared in late 2002. Her husband is facing two counts of murder for their deaths.".....

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Geragos: Peterson didn't do it

Geragos: Peterson didn't do it

By GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITER

Last Updated: June 2, 2004, 01:32:27 PM PDT

1:23 p.m., PDT: REDWOOD CITY - Scott Peterson had nothing to do with his pregnant wife’s murder - and his legal team will prove it, defense attorney Mark Geragos declared dramatically this morning during his opening statement.

“The evidence is going to show clearly, beyond any doubt, that not only was Scott not guilty, but stone-cold innocent,” Geragos told jurors.

Peterson, 31, of Modesto, came under media and police scrutiny after Laci Peterson vanished Dec. 24, 2002. But Peterson had no opportunity to kill her and their unborn son, Conner, Geragos said.

Evidence will show the baby was born alive, the Los Angeles lawyer announced in a series of revelations. They include:

Laci Peterson knew that her husband bought a fishing boat shortly before she vanished - and “was in the boat Dec. 20.”

The Petersons didn’t talk about the boat, even during......

[pinz-n-needlez]

Here's a bit about the spa owner's testimony and Geragos' stupendous crossexam that skewered the police:

>>Buer, a prosecution witness on the second day of testimony in Scott Peterson’s murder trial, also said a Modesto police detective inaccurately indicated in a report that she stopped work at a volunteer search center for Laci Peterson because she found Scott Peterson’s behavior unusual.

“I did not make that statement,” Buer said. She later clarified that she had never gone to the volunteer search center, but had felt uncomfortable around three of Laci Peterson’s friends because she felt the women strongly backed Scott Peterson shortly after his wife was reported missing.>>

from the Modbee: http://www.modbee.com/reports/peterson/trial/story/8658770p-9532200c.html

So while the actual quote was imprecise, the sentiment was accurate as reported by the police, it would seem.

Pinz

[Devil_Anse]

I'm not surprised you thought of that right off, you're always quick!

Vel made that point, too.

So, when are we gonna find out: 1) Are we correct in assuming that Martha's show aired from 9-10 a.m. Modesto time as of Dec., 2002; 2)At what exact time was "meringue" mentioned in the show of Dec. 24th? 3)Did this mention of meringue occur after 9:30?

We already know that Scott has committed himself to his story of having left home at 9:30.

If this pans out, to me, the very best part of it will be the irony--in that Geragos was reportedly SO smug about pointing to the mention of meringue in the DEC. 24TH show. And this same info, which he is currently gloating over, will then come back to haunt him. I hope!

[RGSpincich]

Except for some sloppy rope tying there is no innocent explanation for losing that many anchors.

[Devil_Anse]

... and, in fairness to California, the jury that finally did convict the Menendez murderers was ALSO a California jury!

[Devil_Anse]

Yes, given the prominence of cement and the bottom of the Bay in this case, I always like it when people say such-and-such piece of evidence will "sink him like a stone"!

[Devil_Anse]

CO says she thinks the scarf that went with Laci's last outfit will figure in this case; not sure how.

As for shooting her, I agree that if he'd done it in the house, they'd have found some trace.

BUT he may have done it on the way to the Bay... out in the country, late at night? One bullet to the head from a .22 pistol?

I know of one case in which a woman committed suicide with some pistol, I think it was a small caliber. She shot herself in the chest, not the head, true, but there was so little blood apparent at the scene that the first person to find her didn't know at first glance that she had shot herself!

[sissyjane]

Thanks!

Nite all!

[Devil_Anse]

THAT'S encouraging to hear!

[Libloather]

Is there any chance that all of the Peterson junk can be delegated to the 'The Smokey Backroom' section? This crap may last more than six months...

[blondee123]

REf: the families entering the courtroom! The Petersons are a sick bunch, they all need to be locked up in a rubber room. They think they're at a picnic! I hope the DA wipes those sickening smiles off their faces at the end of the trial~! They make me SICK~!!

[blondee123]

But first, the Judge needs to ban them for a few days. They are clearly trying to influence the jury, IMHO. What about the GAG order, aren't the Petersons violating it everytime they go on tv & say that snotty is innocent???

[blondee123]

also seem to recall that the Peterson and Rocha families were quite close before the Amber appearance. I don't think it was ever said they were "quite close" I think they were on speaking terms as any inlaws would be, but you can clearly see they are not compatible as friends under any circumstances~! Plus, they are the ones making the snide remarks, you don't hear Sharon Rocha acting like a low class citizen, she has shown nothing but CLASS in a horrible situation. I'm sure there are times she'd like to scream & yell about this whole situation, especially when she sees the Petersons laughing in court. They have not made it easy for the Rochas by any means!

[Howlin]

You mean like the Threat Matrix threads?

[blondee123]

I'm retired and I watch cable news most of the day. I can't get away from Scott Peterson on cable. Do we really need to waste FR bandwidth on this case? Or Michael Jackson? Geeeeeesh!

It is NEWS and if you don't like reading about it, skip this thread, also I would assume you have a remote to change channels, there are many other shows on cable to watch if you prefer something else. Do you have a daughter?

[Diver Dave]

Sorry I didn't get back to you with an answer, but I see rb provided a much more detailed piece of info than I would ever be able to provide.

[Yaelle]

his new cable tv show called something like "Mysteries from the case files of Henry Lee"

What I wanna know is -- will there be subtitles?

[Yaelle]

Perhaps he had already taken Laci to the warehouse in the tarp before it was light?

[Yaelle]

Don't ever get between Dr. Lee and a camera--"hazardous to healt'".

"When you alone and no forensic case you can alway go...
Tee Vee...
When you got worry all dat noise and dee hurry dere's alway a show...
Tee Vee...
Just listen to my accent as I talk about duh spattr...
Linguh on yoh couches my voice really seem to mattuh...
I nevuh lose...
De lights so much brightuh dere...
I fohget all my English but nobody care...
I go on Tee Vee, no finuh place foh me...
Tee Vee, Where evee one watchee me..."

[Yaelle]

I had not known that her cell was not working. The message goes into a voicemail place "out there" at her cell phone co. She could even have retrieved it from any phone. But if her cell wasn't working, WHY would she retrieve that message, since her husband KNEW her cell wasn't working and she wouldn't be expecting a call from him there.

[Yaelle]

CO, so you mean that the prosecution didn't go out with their big guns in opening statements because they have things they will "spring" on the defense? I hope so, but is that even allowed?