Posted on 06/17/2004 5:43:09 AM PDT by runningbear
A murder trial is no laughing matter. Is it?
Excerpt
A murder trial is no laughing matter.
Is it?
Defense lawyer Mark Geragos has cracked up everyone from the jury to prosecution witnesses during the high-profile murder trial. Experts say it could work for him.
By Harriet Ryan
Court TV
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — When it came time to cross-examine the receptionist from Laci Peterson's obstetrician's office, Mark Geragos leaned forward on the defense table and grinned.
The young woman had just testified that no one called the office about the slain mother-to-be Christmas Eve, but she could not be sure about Dec. 26 because she had taken a sick day.
Geragos paused just long enough for every juror to turn toward him and his client, and then deadpanned, "Were you really sick the day after Christmas?"
The courtroom erupted in laughter....
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Officers detail extensive search for Laci Peterson
Officers detail extensive search for Laci Peterson
Police Sgt. Ronald Cloward testifies Wednesday about the "needle in a haystack" search for Laci Peterson.
By Harriet Ryan
Court TV
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Police used helicopters, boats, ATVs, horses, dogs, divers and numerous volunteers in their efforts to find Laci Peterson, two officers testified Wednesday at her husband's capital murder trial.
Modesto police sergeants Ronald Cloward and Timothy Helton detailed the extensive, but ultimately fruitless, search to find the mother-to-be, who vanished Christmas Eve 2002.
Asked by prosecutor Rick Distaso if finding the 27-year-old woman was like "finding a needle in a haystack," Cloward replied, "That was exactly what it was like. It was difficult.".......
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Angry Laci's Mom Scolds Geragos
Angry Laci's Mom Scolds Geragos
POSTED: 10:47 am PDT June 16, 2004
UPDATED: 5:18 pm PDT June 16, 2004
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Laci Peterson's mother -- Sharon Rocha -- had some harsh words for defense attorney Mark Geragos on Wednesday, telling him to stop making jokes during her late daughter's murder trial.
Video
Video On Demand: Sharon Rocha Has Harsh Words For Geragos
Video
Video On Demand: Michael Cardoza On Tuesday's Testimony And Preview Wednesday
Rocha was angered that Geragos has made several comments since the trial began that have elicited laughter from the courtroom gallery and the jury box.
"I think Mr. Geragos need to stop.......
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Defense: Petersons' street dangerous
Article Last Updated: Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 4:18:10 AM PST
Defense: Petersons' street dangerous
Geragos says Laci complained to officials about nearby homeless mission
By Jason Dearen, STAFF WRITER
REDWOOD CITY -- Forty-seven of Modesto's registered sex offenders listed a homeless mission near Scott and Laci Peterson's house as their official residence, a Modesto police sergeant testified Wednesday.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos said Laci Peterson had complained to city officials because the homeless people from the mission often used her residential street to get to a nearby park; she wanted the city to close the Covena Avenue park entrance.
Appearing in full dress uniform, his sunglasses hanging from a strap on his shoulder, Modesto police Sgt. Ron Cloward took the witness stand Wednesday for the prosecution. He confirmed that he had received an e-mail about Laci Peterson's concerns over "transients" on her street, but that none of their efforts to locate the sex offenders led to any evidence of her disappearance........
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(Excerpt) Read more at courttv.com ...
Well, I went to one of the "blogs" that talks about this trial, and it had links to two, er, works, entitled "The Wife Confesses", and "Raping the Teacher".
If you will recall, those are supposedly the titles of two pieces of written porn that were supposedly found on Scott's computer--according to Catherine Crier.
The blog owner emphasized that she had no way of knowing if the things she had by those titles were actually the same ones Scott had on his computer.
I looked at the one called "The Wife Confesses". Now, I'm sure some of our critics on here will tell me that I am sadly lacking, lol, but frankly, I found this "work" to be kind of tedious after it had gone on for a while.
"The Wife Confesses" is a story about newlyweds. The wife is, of course, the most beautiful and sweetly-wicked-looking creature in the world. The husband sounds more like Darrin from "Bewitched". The wife confesses that she sleeps around, and that she has slept around both before and after their wedding. She is pregnant with the child of one of her illicit lovers. This particular lover is said to have (you guessed it) certain anatomical properties which resemble a horse. The husband, OTOH... doesn't. The husband is described as a very successful insurance salesman, whose "main distinction" is that he inherited a lot of money from his family. His, er, physical shortcoming is mentioned over and over, especially in comparison to the lover's generous endowments.
The whole narrative is kind of pointless and formless. There is no real ending, no unity, and no climax (ha ha, in a literary sense... just had to say that.) Of course the narrative has plenty of really dirty words in it. Nobody gets killed in the story. (And while it doesn't contain that disclaimer like the movies--"No animals were harmed in the making of this story"--rest assured, no animals are harmed in it.)
There are plenty of detailed descriptions of sex in the narrative. So, hey, it fulfills its purpose.
Frankly, I think Scott would find pictures a lot more interesting than this narrative.
How wonderful, Jackie!!!! I'm so happy for you!!!!
LOL! Thanks, RR!
What a doofus that juror must be---next to a really flaky woman who would "fall in love" with Scott, I'm sure this doofus is Geragos' No. 1 dream juror.
Why, I am. Because none of you are on the jury. But you may be on future juries, hence my attempt to hint at the emotional dicipline necessary for that duty. 
One question is driving me crazy: how did she die?
In the last couple of days, there's reportedly been brief mention of Scott's glove-compartment pistol, and his OTHER guns he owned. I believe they have all been looked over by police; wonder if any of them have yielded any interesting information.
DISCLAIMER: I AM IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT OF AMERICANS TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS.
The skull of this poor corpse is missing, and will probably never be found. Reports have repeatedly said that no marks, such as bullet or tool marks, have been found on any of the recovered bones. However, two ribs were reported to be broken.
As drjulie said earlier, it is hard to imagine Scott (who has no known criminal record or past) being able to kill Laci, without psyching himself up somehow to do this gruesome deed. Most average, middle-class people would have trouble doing some really bloody murder.
A shot to the head does not require as much energy and stamina as some other types of murder. It is quick. As for the blood, if the scene of the murder is unknown and/or outdoors, the shedding of blood will not help in detection of the perp.
I can't help but think that maybe that is how she was killed--by being shot in the head. It seems to me that he would really have to be furious and determined, to strangle her.
All speculation, of course.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
Congratulations, I know you've really wanted this.
You deserve it!
You sacrifice so much for us, Dev.
I think he strangled or suffocated her. The scrapes on his hands may have been from Laci trying to fight him off.
I intend to ignore william terrel because if not the thread is manipulated to responses to him and not what we are here for
WTG Jackie-O Good luck in your transfer
I think you have a weakness also. Although it would appear to me to be a weakness from the neck up!
RIGHT ON JAX!! That is GREAT news!!
Great news! I'm really happy for you.
fiesti, as with other disruptors that have "visited" us from time to time, I intend to do the same. Nothing works better than the Ignore. Pretty soon they get bored with talking to themselves.
(*sniff*) At last--the recognition I deserve!
LOL!
Hey, I promise you, that thing is tedious! There really is no other word for it! Of course, I'm a bad judge of porn anyway b/c when people used to have it when I was in college, I always wanted them to play the tape backwards b/c it's really hilarious to see backwards!
Yes, darn it, I forgot about the cut on his hand.
I heard there was one cut--the one he said he got from his toolbox? But he made a big point of saying he had "lots" of cuts b/c he cut himself in his work? But did anyone ever see any of the cuts on his hands?
A cut on the hand makes it sound more like a knife. I don't know, though. Scott's a scumbag, but he just doesn't seem like the OJ type.
Strangling is always a good possibility, but I've heard that you really have to bear down hard to strangle an adult, even a small person, and I just wonder if he had the perseverence and boldness to do that.
Drugged her, then suffocated her? Or drugged her, then took her out somewhere in the country and shot her?
The prosecution has been making a point lately by asking all the police about that full laundry hamper. It took me a while to catch on, but I realize that their point is, why would Scott do a tiny load of laundry consisting only of his fishing clothes from that one day, when he could've put all the clothes in the hamper in at the same time, and done a full load?
Hey--and something else I just remembered that I read recently: I read that Anne Byrd, Scott's long-lost older sister in Berkeley (who now reportedly adores him) tried to sell some of the letters from her baby brother Scott, to a TABLOID. But apparently the tabloid wouldn't pay enough to satisfy her, so the sale never went through.
(Yup... she's Jackie's daughter...)
Apparently the judge has subpoened the tape of Juror #5 speaking to Rocha and may excuse him on Monday. I'm beginning to see shadows of Judge Ito and unless the judge and prosecutors gain more control of the jury and Geragos, Snot will walk. As it is, even Hannity & Colmes are now agreeing with defense attorneys that there is not enough evidence to convict. These two were practically hanging Snot a few months ago.
Has that been confirmed? Last I heard he was possibly an unnamed co-conspirator.
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