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 ...
Wipe that smile off of his ugly face.
Sorry for the rant, but he really rubs my fur the wrong war. He is so arrogant!
You hang around with Satan enough to spot the similarities?
Only a lawyer, especially one who defended that floozy Susan Mc Dougal, would crack jokes during the trial of a murderer of a pregnant wife.
This guy is beneath contempt.
I don't believe I said that murder was not serious. Is this the only murder that has happened in the U.S.? What makes this one so serious and the others not?
with the absence of any evidence directly related to the killing (if smothered, there wouldn't be any), so all the jury has to consider is his conduct and statements. Being arrested near the border with lots of cash, camping equipment, and a different ID, added to the fact he talked about Laci in the past tense right away, took up a girlfriend, bought the boat the day he told the GF they would be spending a lot more time together, and when followed by a relative he just sat in his truck....paints a picture no evidence MG can dispute.
Can you add me to your Ping List for the Peterson Trial? I'd appreciate it.
Murder trials are, of course, very tense for everyone, including the jury. Giving the jury a tension breaker from time to time may endear him to them, plus it may help his client to seem more human if they see him smiling when they are. It could backfire if he goes overboard, though--the jury could see him as uncaring and flip, and by extension believe that his client is callous enough to commit such a horrible crime if he can laugh in court.
I need to take a shower every time I see Geragos on TV. The man is scum.
By the way, Scott Peterson, if fishing is your alibi, at least know what type of fish can be found in your river/pond/lake/body of water. I'm fairly sure the "I don't know" fish doesn't scream 'INNOCENCE' to the jurors.
I assume you are referring to Geragos. He is no longer MJ's attorney. Hasn't been for a while I believe.
Nobody here has said that this murder is any more important than any other. This one is getting so much more coverage because of when it happened (near Christmas), the fact that Laci was pregnant (and very excited about the baby), and Scott's seeming lack of compassion.
He was having an affair, he lied about going out and helping the search, he changed his appearance. These things tend to move people to action.
Sorry if you don't want to see news about this. But then, nobody put a gun to your head and said you had to read it either!
So, the defense strategy is to just keep everyone laughing? Why not just hire Jay Leno and be done with it?
In addition to trussell's comments, it shows us how sick the husband was/is... (he told his girlfriend that his wife was dead PRIOR to her death)..it's heartbreaking and can be considered representative of murder cases in general. It has shown us the stages of grief that a family is going through. It shows us how victims and their families are treated by the criminal justice system.
In addition, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE system IS a part of the government. I've said it before, watching a high profile case is GOOD for the public. We can't watch all murder cases....but for those we do become interested in...we can utilize the information. If it comes to the point that we need to over haul the criminal justice system..what better way to do understand it first, but by observing. One of my instructors, who is a judge that handles criminal trials..suggested that we sit through trials..observe our CRJU in action. HE is right..if you have no idea what's going on in the CRJU field..how could you possibly know if it's working well. Do a ride-along with a cop.., sit in on trials...interview captains..., (especially in the vice-unit..) ask them what their complaints are, what they like and don't like about their jobs, the system itself. Take a tour of a prison or a jail) It's all about educating yourself.
I used to fish with my daughters for perch and we would go to quiet spots where there hadn't been a mans footprint in decades. We never saw law enforcement of any kind. Not even a game warden.
Why risk driving on the freeways through some of the most heavily patrolled country in the US when he coud have buried her in the Delta?
Wouldn't he have tried to avoid driving around with a body?
Drop the body off in the Delta, then drive to the Bay? mapquest.com/Delta
It is suppose to make me praise a system that tells the viewing public that "all the boys" do this, no matter if the client did it or not? Endear the jury to your sense of humor? Get them on YOUR side because of YOUR cunning good humor? And the result will be more favorable that they will go along with you cause you are such a good hearted guy, and allow the scum of the earth to walk ???
Yep, makes me want to do jury duty. WHAT A SYSTEM !
You don't have to read this thread if you're not interested!!!
he did it so he could get that launch ticket giving him an alibi so he had the perfect excuse why no one saw or talked to him that day....HE WAS BUSY !!! what perfect proof a machine that can't talk, no eyewitness.
Like the Victoria Secret panty thief???? ROFL!
Oddly enough, this is the worst place to go if you are looking to avoid detection or hide something. If you did happen to come across someone at one of those "quiet spots," you'd probably remember exactly what he looked like -- even 20 years later.
On the other hand, if you walked down one city block in New York in the middle of the day, you would probably get back to your office and wouldn't remember a single thing about any of the hundreds of people who crossed your path.
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