Posted on 06/07/2004 5:30:22 AM PDT by runningbear
Facing killers at trial no reward for parents
EXCERPTS:
Facing killers at trial no reward for parents
BY JOHN COTÉ and GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITERS
Last Updated: June 7, 2004, 05:05:05 AM PDT
Testifying as the man accused of murdering your daughter looks on is something Teresa Vanderheiden doesn't wish on anybody.
"You try to keep your eyes focused on one thing," Vanderheiden said. "I remember looking at the clock a lot, thinking that would avoid it. But your eyes meet."
Anger flashed through Vanderheiden as -- in separate trials -- she came face to face with the men accused of murdering her 25-year-old daughter, Cyndi, in 1998.
"They're looking at you and as you look down and see them, you want to … " Vanderheiden, speaking from her Clements home, trailed off for a moment. "You just want to get rid of them."........
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Testimony Resumes In Scott Peterson's Double-Murder Trial
Laci's Half-Sister Scheduled To Return To Witness Stand
POSTED: 5:14 pm PDT June 6, 2004
UPDATED: 5:22 pm PDT June 6, 2004
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Testimony is set to resume Monday in Scott Peterson's double-murder trial.
Peterson's deceased wife's half-sister is scheduled to return to the witness stand.
Amy Rocha testified last week about the frantic scene at the Petersons' home on the day Laci Peterson was reported missing. ........
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N O T E B O O K / T H E T R I A L S O F . . .
Peterson's Martha Defense
By CHRIS TAYLOR
Monday, Jun. 14, 2004
Martha Stewart was back in the legal spotlight last week — at another high-profile trial that has obsessed the media. As Scott Peterson went on trial for the murder of his pregnant wife Laci, the defense scored a surreal but key point by playing a videotape of the TV homemaker. Peterson had said that on the morning the prosecution says he killed Laci, she was watching Stewart talk about meringue. The Modesto, Calif., police department claimed no meringue was mentioned on Stewart's show that morning. But Peterson attorney Mark Geragos, in his opening statement, played the tape and showed otherwise.
That was just the first of many early embarrassments for the authorities. Geragos has displayed a talent for getting prosecution witnesses to point out inaccuracies in police reports. While prosecutors were trying to show that Laci was too tired to walk the family dog, as Peterson claims she was going to do the last time he saw her, they also inexplicably pointed out that she was able to go to a salon and a spa and buy about $100 worth of groceries that day. "It's a bit confusing what the prosecution is doing at this point," says former San Francisco district attorney Jim Hammer. ..........
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Drive Valet Parking, LLC Announced Today the Company Expects to Hit $500,000.00 in Sales This Year
"LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2004--
Former Chief Volunteer in the Laci Peterson Case Co-Founded Drive after Being Forced to Resign from His Modesto Hotel for Refusing Rooms to Scott Peterson's Parents
(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...
Leftover Pizza--
I'm reading all kinds varying things.. Karas/via/websleuths saying that LACI ORDERED THE PIZZA FROM THE SALON.. Maybe they picked it up on the way home?
Nevertheless, Scott asked Amy over, as per Amy's testimony.
I remember Scott saying he ate pizza after fishing. I wonder if Laci ate any? Wonder if she had any remnant digestive contents left after 4months underwater?
I feel factually challenged by the media. Websleuths transcripts setup are charging $1pp of transcripts which could get expensive cause I like to read them.
(somethings I didn't know)
Wesleuths-
- saying Laci wore Scotts blue pj's on the night of the 23rd, according to Sharons testimony from her Scott conversation.
- Saying that Laci was to receive $500T + on her 30th birthday from her grandfathers estate. The Jewelry she inherited was worth about $100T.
".....the Doc reports that she fell ill during her walks. I hope the Pros counters with those points...."
I do too. Also, there is a big difference between walking with someone and taking a dog out alone. If the doctor told her not to walk, I don't think whe would have risked it.
"....Geragos is being set up."
You may be right - I can see several emerging problems. He's really painted himself into a corner. Yesterday one of the commentators on CTV said that Distaso is playing a "Columbo" role - trying to present the "puzzle" to the jury so that they will feel compelled to put the pieces together and figure it out. If true, that's a potentially brilliant strategy (of course it depends on the personalities of the jurors, but remember Varinsky is helping him).
"God, I'm so uninterested in this work right now."
You've got a tough boss - tell him you want vacation for the duration of this trial!!!
Shoes! Such a little thing but so important. Even if they found flip-flops or slippers - no way is she going to walk in those in her condition. She would wear good solid shoes - how many could she have? For me that would be two to three pairs.
"Is he that good an actor, that he'd make an invitation that he didn't really want her to accept?"
My opinion is that he would do this so that Amy could state that she had pizza with them the night before Laci went missing and everything was great. Scott would be especially interested and kind to Laci. He would make positive comments about the baby, etc. He wanted to put on a performance. This does not help the defense unless he asked Amy to sleep over! She would probably eat pizza and leave by 8 or 9.
Amy didn't identify any clothing but a scarf and a blouse on Feb 18, from what I've read.
Also Amy could not confirm that the "tattered" remains of the pants found on Laci's body in April as being the same pair that she had on Dec 23rd. Understandable since they had been submerged for 3.5 months.
"Wonder if she had any remnant digestive contents left after 4months underwater?"
That would be very helpful but I don't think there were any internal organs left.
Glad to hear it, RB!
Oh, I see it's a replica of the pants that were found on Laci that Amy couldn't positively identify.
Had Amy accepted, it still would have fit in with his plan.
.....as SP fixes his hair in the mirror, the camera pans to 3 plates at the kitchen table, which once held the pizza slices of Laci, Amy and SP....
As SP tries to squirt out a tear, he says: "I even invited Amy for dinner because not inviting her would have been (sniffs nose)...un..un...unapproachable."
I'm wondering if Laci called from the Salon Salon payphone, to order pizza that they picked up on the way home.
(SP wasn't willing to share one of his 5 cellphones for her to make the call. ROFL)
Ron Frey sounds a tad whacko to me.
Ron Frey ditto. Guess he doesn't understand the court system. You talk to who da judge tells you to talk to.
I was pointing out the Modbee in recapping yesterday's testimony said Amy had found all of the clothes Laci had on at the salon except for the black coat. That list included the pants. If so, Laci would have owned two pair of beige pants, the pair Amy found and the pair on her body; or maybe the Modbee was in error when they included "pants" in the items Amy located at the house Feb 18.
I can't see Laci walking with the dog considering how far she was into her pregnancy and with the physical troubles she was having at that time. If she did walk the dog it would have been at a very slow pace due to her condition and the fact of the dog not being trained. We had a lab/retriever mix and those dogs are pure energy even in older age. I make it a requirement for my girls that have dogs to go to obedience classes and to work their dogs every day.
Also I was pregnant at the time of Laci's death and there is no way I would have even taken a walk much less with a dog at that stage of the pregnancy (My son rode very low and it was difficult to walk, drive and climbing stairs was a only when necessary deal. Thank God for my girls.)
Thank you.
I have been following this from the beginning.
What set off alarm bells for me was the issue of the dog being put in the yard with the leash on and the fact that while you saw Lacis' family on T.V., you never saw her husband on T.V.
RB, glad to hear things are going well. I missed the original news, but pieced what happened with the help of good friends here.
I know you've been through hell, the minute you mentioned "doctors" as once you get more than one, trying to get them all on one page, no matter how good they are is a bear, no pun intended ;-)
That said, Mr RB is in great hands, as we all know and I wish you both the speediest return to day to day life...
Thank you again for all you do with keeping these threads going, it's my getaway and brain teaser, I like to think this case keeps me on my toes, as well as looking for a fair resolution for Laci and Connor.
Ron Frey needs also to understand that this trial is NOT about Ron Frey...or even Amber.
It's about Laci, Connor and their murderer.
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